Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sacrifice for One
by adeadlife44
Summary: AU: A continuation of Harry Potter and the Choices that Matter. Harry survived his first year at Hogwarts, scarred and plagued by nightmares. A dark warning in the middle of the night starts an unfortunate series of events that will shape and temper Harry for years to come. As his desire to learn more magic pushes him to succeed, but so do the challenges that await him.
1. Chapter 1: The Burrow

**Authors Note (****AN):** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

_Thank you for following my series. In the last book, Harry Potter was introduced into the wizarding world by his magical guardian, Albus Dumbledore. Harry's character, as an eleven-year-old boy, is evolving and changing as the world influences his life. Some of the influence into his character has come from Providence Preparatory Boarding School and others from his experiences with the Dursleys. Harry has come into his own as a young wizard, a friend to three different and distinct children, and has experienced death as an active and passive participant._

_In this book, Harry will deviate farther from the original story. Characters and ideas will be introduced in, what I hope, to be a reasonable and realistic way. There are areas of this book I've rewritten multiple times to try and force the story in a direction I wanted. It didn't work. If anything, Harry's character as changed faster and 'sharper' than anything I'd prepared for (as every chapter for all seven books had a synopsis, character points, and plot points planned out.) If I've learned anything from this book, it's to think in broader terms and not try to pigeon hole a character into a specific timeline of events. Maybe some can do it, but I can't seem to keep my characters from running off._

_As I have said before, I am an amateur writer and am trying to find the 'voice' that works for me. Some of the writing style will be different from the last book and some will remain the same. My goal in all my writing is to tell a story as I see it and it doesn't always come out the best way. To help me improve, please be brutally honest in any comments, reviews, or messages you'd like to send._

_I hope you enjoy the story._

**Chapter 1: The Burrow **

"Gather your trunks, we're taking two Muggle cabs back to the Burrow," Mrs. Weasley ordered as she led her family and Harry through the throng of witches and wizards.

Harry spotted Draco Malfoy talking to an older, long-haired version of himself and a tall, skinny blonde woman with a pinched expression on her face. Her mannerisms made it seem like she looked down on everything and everyone. Harry and the blonde woman's deep blue eyes locked on to each other from a few yards away. Mrs. Malfoy's face contorted into a mask of rage as she mouthed something to him. Harry didn't think it was the family recipe for treacle tart. He lost track of the Malfoys when a large group of Hufflepuffs and their parents headed for the barrier.

The twins took the lead with matching grins as they helped everyone load up their trunks onto the battered trolleys. Harry secured Hedwig's cage to the top of his trunk and waited to one side. He glanced around, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. His knuckles hurt as he clutched his wand under a light rain-jacket draped across his arms.

Ron had difficulty securing his trunk. The small red-headed girl huffed and helped him strap everything down. She turned to see Harry watching them. Her face turned a brilliant shade of red, matching her hair. She sprinted to Mrs. Weasley and kept the matronly woman between her and Harry.

Harry assumed Ginny was shy and started to push his trolley, eyes peeled for any trouble. He hoped she wasn't scared of the burns on his face. Percy took the lead and pushed a path open for his family to reach the barrier. Fred and George took up the rear, behind Harry.

"Can't wait to show you the Burrow," they chorused. "We've got a surprise for you as well," Fred said with a smirk. George nodded and winked.

Kings Cross was busy as Muggles rushed along the platforms to their trains. The influx of wizarding families made the platform even more crowded. Ron stepped on Harry's foot twice as they fought to push through the crowd. By the time they escaped King's Cross, Harry received four new bruises. Harry only relaxed once they found the cabs, knowing the Malfoy's wouldn't attack him around Muggles.

The two Muggle cab drivers looked horrified by the group of seven trying to load eight trunks of varying sizes and an owl cage into the two cars. Ron clutched his rat, Scabbers, as he slid into the seat beside Harry. Ginny sat on Fred's lap as she pelted him with questions about Hogwarts. She demanded to know what pranks and trouble they'd gotten into with a small smirk.

Harry watched Mrs. Weasley as she directed her family with military precision. He wondered if the instructors at Providence would have been proud of the short witch. After everyone was loaded into the cab, the drivers took off through the streets. Harry's driver yelled at other motorists to get out of the way while cutting another off. The two cabs sped along in an effort to get to their destination faster.

Harry talked to Ron and Percy during the insanely long trip. Percy talked about his O.W.L. exam and his dreams to work with the Ministry. Ron talked about all the things they could do over the summer together. Harry half listened as he tried to contain his nervousness.

Once the cab drivers dropped the large family off and were paid, they sped off with a disgruntled look. Harry couldn't blame them as it had been a four-hour trip one way. He hoped Mrs. Weasley hadn't gone broke because of the price for the two cabs and the long trip. His back and legs were cramped after the long ride. Mrs. Weasley marched the group through the little town. Harry was amused when he heard people talk about them as they passed.

After a long walk toward the setting sun, a large, oddly-shaped structure appeared in the distance. Harry guessed the home was held up by magic. He thought he could see where the development of the house started. A tall rock wall with a few windows had a short roof attached and a large wooden and stone structure coming off the back. The expansion rose for two-stories above the small hut. After that, the planned look of the home changed drastically. A massive two-story addition stood over the roof of the original home, held up by several supports through the roof. The heavy addition listed to one side and was built from different types of wood. He realized after a moment, there were small additions to the main structures that hung out over mid-air. The entire house looked in disrepair.

_"__Magic, strong magic,"_ Harry thought as he looked at the narrow support beams holding up the tons of weight being pressed upon it. His stomach somersaulted when he realized he'd be staying near the top of the structurally unstable building.

"The Burrow," Mrs. Weasley announced to Harry. She gave him a bright smile. "Come along, we're home." Harry felt his eye twitch as he gazed at the house again.

Ron muttered the entire way up the lane about having to drag his trunk so far. Fred and George looked excited to be home. Percy's face looked complicated. He thought he saw happiness and dissatisfaction in the older boy. Ginny bounced along beside Mrs. Weasley holding Hedwig's cage. She talked and crooned to the snowy owl.

Harry realized how enormous the house was as they reached the front door. Three chickens passed by the stoop, blocking their path for a moment. He wondered what the neighbors said about the Weasley family. Petunia had always worried about what the neighbors said. Harry looked around and noticed a small chicken coup, a large dilapidated barn, and a small stone outhouse.

Mrs. Weasley led everyone through the front door and into a small, rather cramped room. A long, worn table had eight chairs crammed around the table. The chairs were in different states of disrepair. A large stove sat to one side and a double sink was under a wide window. Pots and pans hung from hooks on the walls near the kitchen. A tall, grubby fridge was at the far end of the counters.

Mrs. Weasley smiled at them all and said, "it's wonderful to have you home, boys. Harry, you're welcome at the Burrow any time, dear. Now, trunks up to your rooms. Ron, show Harry to your room, please. Harry dear, you'll be staying in Ron's room on the fifth floor. Oh, I'm all excited to see you."

Harry tried to smile at her. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," he said as he looked around. Mrs. Weasley's excited voice reminded him of Fred and George's higher-pitched fake voices when he'd first met them on the train. He spotted a clock over the fireplace near the kitchen table. It had all the Weasley's faces on nine thin hands and words going around the outside instead of numbers. The three Weasleys he couldn't recognize had to be Bill, Charlie, and Ron's father, Arthur. The picture for Arthur on the longest hand pointed to the words, 'Work'.

"Oh, Arthur is running late, as usual," Mrs. Weasley explained as she stopped beside Harry. "If you need anything, feel free to ask, dear."

Ron led Harry through a short passage that led to a narrow spiraling staircase in the center of the house. He pointed out Ginny's room and the bathroom on the first floor. They clambered up the staircase with their trunks to the small second-floor landing. Percy and the twins had rooms on the second floor. Ron showed him Bill and Charlie's room and a single bathroom on the third floor. The fourth floor was the master bedroom. The tour ended at Ron's room on the fifth floor.

"We've got an attic, but there is a ghoul up there and no one wants to deal with it," Ron explained as he pointed to a trapdoor in the ceiling of the fifth-floor landing.

He opened the door and grinned. "Home sweet home," he said as he stepped inside.

Harry glanced around the messy room, decorated in the orange colors of the Chudley Cannons, Ron's favorite Quidditch team. He watched as Ron started to pick up his clothes and make a space to put his trunk in by the foot of the bed.

"Drop it here," Ron said as he threw the last of his clothes on the small bed. Harry put Ron's trunk at the foot of his bed.

"Your room looks wicked," Harry said after noticing Ron glancing at him.

Ron flashed a wide smile. "Thanks, mate," he said before cleaning up a spot by the worn dresser on the other side of the room.

Harry dropped his trunk off and went downstairs with Ron. "Mum, are we going to get Harry a bed?" Ron called as he entered the kitchen.

Ginny looked up from her plate and turned red. Ron snorted but Harry shrugged and ignored the youngest Weasley. Mrs. Weasley turned from the stove and flicked her wand. Two plates floated to the table from an open cabinet near the fridge.

"Have a seat dears," she called and pulled a large pot off the stove. She ladled small helpings of the stew into each of the plates. "Something to tide you over until supper a little later," she said with a smile.

Harry and Ron took the seats in front of the plates. Two forks floated to them a moment later. Harry ate in silence as Ron talked with a full mouth to his mother and sister. Ginny rolled her eyes and turned red again when Harry nodded to her when she looked his way.

"Ronald, do not eat with your mouth full," Mrs. Weasley chastised. She pointed the ladle in Ron's direction for emphasis. Harry tried not to laugh at his friend's discomfort.

"Ginny, when you finish, could you grab the wash, dear?" Mrs. Weasley called over her shoulder.

Ginny grimaced and stuck her tongue out at her mother. "Yes, mum," she huffed and crossed her arms.

"Don't stick your tongue out at me, young lady," the matronly woman scolded and turned with her hands on her hips to stare at Ginny.

Ginny started and huffed. " Sorry, mum," she said, but Harry didn't believe the girl. Mrs. Weasley eyed her youngest before turning back to her cooking.

Ginny stuck her tongue out again and darted out of the room with a giggle. Ron rolled his eyes and looked at Harry. " Girls, honestly," he muttered under his breath.

Harry tried not to laugh as he watched the Weasley family. Mrs. Weasley unnerved him and he wasn't sure why. He spotted Fred and George outside the house, standing in the middle of the dirt path. The twins were illuminated by two mismatched lampposts on either side of the path leading down to the small gate by the dirt road. They were arguing about something as they pointed to a suspicious-looking cylindrical object in Fred's hand. Harry wondered if they'd made any progress with the fireworks.

George snatched the firework out of Fred's hand and shoved it in his robe as he looked around. Seeming satisfied, George pulled a similar cylindrical object out of his robes and passed it to Fred. Harry watched with some amusement as the twins put their heads together and looked over the red firework in George's hand.

"Are the twins up to something?" Ron questioned as he leaned over. Ginny looked around and leaned over so she could see out the door too.

"They are just discussing Zonko's new work," Harry lied with a grin.

"Oh, boring," Ron muttered and went back to his food. Ginny turned back to Harry, her eyes narrowed.

Harry met her stare with a smirk. After a few seconds passed, Ginny's eyes widened and she turned a brilliant shade of red. She looked away and went back to poking her food with a fork.

"Dad's home," Ron announced.

"Dad's home!" the twins yelled as someone appeared out of thin air near the front gate.

Harry, glancing at Ginny again, raised an eyebrow at his excited friend. Ron grinned wider and pointed at the clock on the mantle. "It ticked over to 'Travelling'. It's like second nature to check the clock when dad's late," Ron explained with a shrug. "I can't explain how the twins do it," Ron said with a chuckle. Ginny snorted and smirked.

Harry had a feeling the youngest Weasley was in on whatever secret the twins had. "That is a wicked clock," Harry said and looked back out the open door.

A middle-aged man in black robes and a blue tie ambled up the short path to meet the twins. Mr. Weasley grinned and laughed as he hugged Fred and George. He looked between the twins and said something. The twins laughed at the same time and produced two pieces of parchment. Mr. Weasley took the papers and read them. He laughed and produced two Galleons from his pocket. He glanced around and passed a coin to both of his sons.

Grinning from ear to ear, the twins led the way up to the house. They winked at Harry as they entered the door. "Dad's home," one twin said and stepped aside to let Arthur in.

Arthur brushed past the twins as he caught Mrs. Weasley in his arms. With a big grin, Mrs. Weasley kissed her husband to the chorus of 'ewws' around the kitchen from the Weasley children. Harry shifted in his seat as he looked away.

"Dear, how I missed you," Mr. Weasley said to his wife as he broke apart. "Welcome home, Ron," he continued as he put his hand on Ginny's head. He ruffled her hair.

Ginny sputtered and tried to push his hand off her head. "Dad!" she cried and tried to smooth her hair back out. She cast furtive glances at Harry as she tried to tame the wild locks.

"Harry, how great it is to see you," Arthur said as he rounded the table. He stuck his hand out and Harry shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Weasley. Ron said you worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office?" Harry questioned, hoping the etiquette class tactic he'd learned at Providence would work on wizarding adults too. He felt uncomfortable around the jovial wizard but tried to smile.

"Yes! A fascinating people Muggles are. Living without magic. I have to ask. What is the exact purpose of a rubber duck?" Mr. Weasley asked as he produced a yellow duck from inside his robes.

Harry froze, waiting for the older wizard to crack a joke like the twins. When he realized Mr. Weasley was serious, he answered. It was a surreal experience to talk to an adult about a child's toy and having the adult hang on his every word.

Mrs. Weasley interrupted Arthur's barrage of questions a few minutes later. "Now Arthur, let the boy breathe," she chastised. The older wizard grinned and thanked Harry for the discussion.

Harry looked at Ron and Ginny, both shrugged back at him with identical smirks. He had the feeling their father amused and embarrassed them a lot. Harry cleaned the dishes from the table and put them in the sink as Mrs. Weasley talked to her husband.

Ron went upstairs to change and Harry went to find the twins. He knocked on their door and waited for it to open. "Got something to show me?" he asked as he glanced through the open door.

One twin sat on a long bed with a blanket over something lumpy at the foot of his bed. "Quick, come in," the twin by the door said and pulled Harry into the room.

"Fred here had the bright idea of leaving all of our work out," George glowered at his twin. Fred looked abashed as he waved his wand over the boards on the floor between the twin's bed. The wooden boards, in different sizes and lengths, floated into the air and piled themselves up in the corner.

Harry helped the twins dump the numerous joke shop items into the small cavity in the floor. He thought he could see into the dark room below between the boards at the bottom of the small compartment. "Ginny's room?" he questioned as George directed the boards back over the hole in the floor.

"Yep and you seem rather calm about our use of magic," Fred accused with a grimace. "You knew already?"

"An older girl from my stay at the Leaky Cauldron let me in on the secret before I left for Hogwarts," Harry explained with a laugh. "I don't know all the rules involved, but I'd guess simple charms and stuff won't get us in trouble. The law in 1233 prevents the Ministry from placing any spells on our wands after Llacheu the Wandless tried to take over the Wizards' Council."

"You're as bad as Hermione," George complained. "We don't know everything but keep it a secret from Ron and Perce. They would mess everything up," he continued with a shudder.

Harry noticed George hadn't mentioned the youngest Weasley. He understood why Ron couldn't be included in the secret, as he had a pension for not thinking and blurting out things at the worst of times. Percy either already knew, or more likely, would tell Mrs. Weasley the twins were using magic outside of school. "No problem, I won't get a lot of time to practice my spells anyway. I'm up in Ron's room," he said with a shrug.

"Don't be so sure. Ron sleeps like a log and you can sneak out at night like we do," the twins chorused with a laugh.

Harry grinned and pointed at Fred's pocket. "You finish testing the fireworks?" he felt a bubble of excitement in his chest as he watched the boy produce a red firework.

"We messed around with your design and have come up with a different solution," George said and pulled out a green firework from his pocket.

"We wanted to show you our work, but now, it'll have to wait until mum is out of the house. Dad won't care, but mum will give us a scolding and shakedown our room again," Fred said with a grin.

Harry sat with the twins as they talked about the various minor changes to his prototype firework. They heard Ron making a terrible racket as he descended the stairs. Harry noticed that his friend made it sound like a herd of stampeding elephants crashing down the stairs when they went to the kitchen the first time. He saw knowing grins spread across the twin's face as he felt his eye twitch.

"Bloody hell, he makes a racket," Harry muttered as he stood and brushed off his pants. He gave the tin of Itching Powder back to George. "I wonder if we could use powdered nettle and dittany in a mixture to make our own Itching Powder. It would soothe the area of contact but cause intense itching without pain. If we really wanted to be mean, we could use dried Flobberworm mucus and powdered nettle to make sure the powder sticks longer," he thought aloud.

"Harry… you scare us sometimes," Fred and George said together and shared a look. "Genius idea, but scary," they chorused with a laugh.

Harry rolled his eyes and left the room, closing the door behind him. He could hear Ron talking in a loud voice to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. As he stepped off the bottom stair, he noticed Ginny stick her head back in her door and close it with a quiet thump. He made a mental note to ask Mrs. Weasley why the boisterous girl was acting strange. Mr. Weasley was looking over Ron's marks and congratulating him on his hard work. Mrs. Weasley was questioning Percy about how he felt his Ordinary Wizarding Level exams went at the other end of the table. Both parents glowed with pride as they talked to their sons.

Harry took a seat in the middle of the table and grinned at Ron's red face. "Harry, dear, Ron was telling us about your flash… card… idea," Mrs. Weasley said as she stumbled over the unfamiliar word. "It seems smart. Do you still have them?"

Harry blinked and pulled a small stack of cards out of his trouser pocket. He looked up to see Ron laughing at him. "Told you, mum! He never goes anywhere without them," his friend said with a smirk.

Harry rolled his eyes and passed the small stack to Mrs. Weasley on the other side of the table. Mr. Weasley got up and took a card out of the stack. "This spell requires the caster to understand the make-up and complexity of an object to vanish both animate and inanimate objects into non-being," he read aloud.

"Evanesco," Percy said as he sat straighter in his chair, looking at Harry. "That is a fourth-year spell and one I had to perform for my O.W.L. You're practicing them now?" he questioned as he looked Harry over.

"Yes and no," Harry hedged with a shrug. "I tried to learn it to vanish incomplete or incorrect potions a few months ago. It didn't go well, but it is still on my to-do list."

"Astounding," Mr. Weasley grinned and passed the card to Harry. "I wish I thought of something like this during my time at Hogwarts. That would be a useful tool to review with."

"Very smart of you, dear," Mrs. Weasley praised as she flipped over a few cards. She smiled and passed him the stack of cards back. "What did you get for marks?"

Harry froze, his hand hovering over the flashcards. "I did alright, Mrs. Weasley," he answered to Ron's snort of laughter and Percy's chuckle.

"Mum, he is one of the two smartest first-years in about a decade," Percy said with a grin. "Hermione Granger may have beaten him in one or two subjects, but his Transfiguration work is used as an example by Professor McGonagall in a lot of our lessons."

"Really?" Harry asked, trying to imagine the stern woman praising his work. He didn't have a great impression of the aging professor.

"Harry, we hear in every lesson how far you've progressed against how slow we are going. She uses you and Hermione as a prod to get us to work harder. I must admit, I don't want a first-year to beat me in my Transfiguration work," Percy answered, his white teeth flashing. "I know she's playing up how much you two know, but the others don't."

Harry shrugged and smiled. He noticed Ginny taking a seat beside Percy and looking between him and the flashcards still on the table. "Dinner will be in a few," Mrs. Weasley announced as she turned back to the large pot on the stove. She pointed her wand at the stairs. A moment later, the twins crashed down the stairs and took their seats with eager looks on their faces.

"Mum always makes the best Sheppard's Pie," one twin said as the other banged his knife and fork on the table.

"Behave," Mrs. Weasley warned as she pointed a large wooden spoon at the twins.

"Yes, Mum," they chorused and shared a grin.

It was well into the night before everyone got up from the dinner table. Harry stayed quiet as he watched and listened to the Weasley family chat and share their lives over the last few months. Mr. Weasley talked about the inner workings of the Ministry of Magic while Mrs. Weasley talked about their trip to see Charlie. Everyone, except Ginny, was interested in hearing about their older brother. The young girl played with her food and patted her foot on the floor.

Harry was thankful his friend didn't go into much detail about his confrontation with Quirrell. He was glad neither of the adults asked about his burns. Their eyes lingered on his face a little longer than was normal, but they didn't comment. Ginny stared at him a lot from the corner of her eye. He felt a little like an animal in a zoo. Mrs. Weasley sent everyone to their rooms after all the dishes had been piled in the sink. She waved her wand toward the sink. The brush and soap levitated off the counter and started to clean the dirty plates and glasses.

Harry grimaced as he realized he knew the spell from the bride-to-be book by Philippa Lyttleburye. He followed Ron up the stairs and wished the twins a good night. Percy disappeared into his room without a word. Mrs. Weasley appeared at Ron's door a moment later, levitating a camp-bed into the room. She waved her wand and cleared a path on the dirty floor by the wardrobe in the corner. "We'll get you a real bed tomorrow, Harry. We'll ask Bill and Charley if they are comfortable with us letting you use their room in our next letters," Mrs. Weasley said as the camp-bed unfurled and erected itself by the wall.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said as he opened his trunk by Ron's dresser.

"You're welcome, dear. Ron, leave your clothes in the basket in the living room tomorrow morning. You too, Harry. I'll get everything washed by mid-day. Don't stay up too late and sleep well," Mrs. Weasley said as she left the room. Harry heard her light footsteps descend the stairs.

"You good, mate?" Ron asked as he changed into his pajamas for bed.

"Yeah, thanks for having me over," Harry said with a smile. "You going to bed now?"

"I'm kipped, mate. I'll see you in the morning," Ron yawned and shoved all the clothes off his bed and onto the floor. He crawled under the covers and rolled over toward the wall.

Harry snorted and got into his sweatpants and workout t-shirt from Providence. He pulled out his _An Anthology of Eighteenth Century Charms_ by Brior Corre and settled onto the uncomfortable camp-bed. There was a lump in the middle of the cushion around the small of his back. The curtains in the window were drawn back, letting the moonlight into the dark room. It was enough light for Harry to read by as he tried to find a comfortable position.

Harry woke before Ron the next morning. His internal clock said it was around 05:45 as he clambered out of the camp-bed. He changed into a spare set of clothes from his trunk and gathered up all his dirty clothes. The stairwell was dark as he descended to the kitchen. He dropped his clothes into the large basket in the living room and looked around. The Weasley's living room was cozy with a sofa and armchairs. It had a fireplace and a huge wooden bookshelf filled to the brim with books. He ran a finger over the leather spines of a few of the books before realizing a lot of the titles were coursebooks used at Hogwarts. Harry grinned and pulled down _Advanced Potion-Making_ by Libatius Borage. He took the book outside and read on the little bench as the sun started to rise.

Mrs. Weasley found him a little while later when she walked outside with the basket. "Oh!" she gasped and dropped the basket on the ground. "Harry, dear, you gave me a fright. Did you sleep all right?" she asked and looked him over.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley. I always wake up early," Harry answered, looking up from the book with a smile. He'd found the book a challenging read but he was excited to read what Libatius had to say about potions.

"I should have known," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. "Ron wrote and said you were always up first. Did you add your clothes to the basket?" she asked as she scooped the clothes up from the ground, dropping them into the large basket.

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley. Mine should be the ones on the bottom there," he said with a smile. He was itching to get back to the second chapter.

"If you need anything, let me know. Breakfast will be in a few hours," Mrs. Weasley called as she went around the side of the house.

Harry didn't say anything and went back to reading. The sun warmed his face as he finished the third chapter of the book. Mrs. Weasley had come out to check on him a few times but hadn't bothered him. Fred and George were in the living room playing exploding snap, much to their mother's displeasure. Ginny stumbled out of the house and collected a few eggs from the chicken coop. She didn't see Harry on the bench as she blearily wandered back in the house with her small basket. Percy appeared outside for a few minutes to throw Errol, the family owl, into the air and watch as the owl took flight.

"Morning, Harry," Percy greeted when he turned around. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, thank you, Percy. Did you?" Harry asked and looked up from the book.

"Mostly… reading one of Bill's old coursebooks?" he questioned, coming closer.

"Didn't realize it was Bill's book, but yeah it is an interesting read," Harry answered with a genuine smile.

"Keep it up," Percy said in an imperious tone and went back inside.

Harry tried not to laugh at the older boy and went back to his reading. Mrs. Weasley called them in for breakfast. Harry put the book back on the shelf and found a seat at the table. It was a boisterous morning as the Weasley family prepared for the day. Mr. Weasley gave hugs to each of his children after breakfast before leaving for work. Percy looked annoyed but Harry didn't miss the curve to his lip as Mr. Weasley left.

"Harry, we're going up to the orchard to play Quidditch," Ron said with a grin. Fred and George smiled and nodded. Ginny looked excited.

"You will each clean your rooms before you do anything else. You left them a mess. Harry, dear, I need help here in the kitchen. Ginny, if you'll make sure everyone has got their clothes in the baskets. Yours too, dear," Mrs. Weasley said as she inserted herself into the conversation.

Harry found it hard to say no to Mrs. Weasley as the Weasley children wandered off with muttered curses and sour faces. He stepped over to the sink and looked for something to do. "What did you need help with, Mrs. Weasley?" he asked, looking at the dishes being scrubbed by magic.

"Would you be a dear and reorganize my spices? Poor Arthur tried to cook the other day while I was out with Ginny. It's become a right mess. If you'll put them in alphabetical order, that would be great."

Harry fought down his suspicion the matronly woman was giving him busy work while her children did chores. With a shrug, he opened the cabinet next to the stove and realized Mrs. Weasley hadn't been lying. Little bottle holders lined the cabinet door but many of the slots for bottles were missing. He crouched lower and realized all the missing bottles were scattered through the cabinet. Harry groaned when he picked up two bottles. After reading the labels, he tried to figure out why Mr. Weasley used cinnamon and lemongrass in the same recipe. He shuddered to think of how the food turned out.

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry called as he sorted through the many spice bottles on the floor.

"Yes, dear?" Mrs. Weasley answered from the sink next to him. She peered down at him with kindly eyes.

"Is Ginny scared off by my burns?" he asked, wanting to get the hard question out of the way first.

"No dear, I'm afraid our youngest has a bit of hero-worship. You see, she grew up reading all those books about you as a child. I'm sure she'll come around when she realizes you didn't do all those things at the ages of three and four. I apologize for her until she does," Mrs. Weasley laughed with a wink at him. "Don't let it get to you. She'll be the boisterous troublemaker she always is in a few days."

"Uh, thanks," Harry muttered and went back to his task.

"Since you brought it up, dear. What happened if you don't mind me asking?" Mrs. Weasley questioned as she turned away from the sink. She looked him full on in the face as her eyes roamed.

Harry felt his skin crawl but didn't let his displeasure show on his face. "Curse got me, ma'am. Quirrell wanted me dead for his Master," he answered in a clipped voice. He realized how harsh his voice sounded.

"Oh? Quirrell? Dear, I'm sorry but wasn't that your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor?" Mrs. Weasley said, concern evident in her voice.

"Yeah, he was. He tried to kill me for Voldemort," Harry answered and felt a surge of vicious pleasure at the adult's startled gasp. He tried to suppress his unstable feelings.

"I'm glad you're alright dear. I'll be writing Albus on the subject," Mrs. Weasley said with a warm smile. The smile turned hard as she looked toward the stairway.

Harry felt a shiver run through his body as he thought he felt an invisible power radiating off Mrs. Weasley. He turned back to his task, thankful to have something to occupy his hands. Mrs. Weasley wasted no time and wrote a rather long letter at the kitchen table. She didn't ask Harry any more questions. Harry watched as she called Errol to her. The owl didn't appear after her first or second call, so she got up and went upstairs.

Harry wondered if he should mention Percy had already used the owl that morning but decided to lay low and stay out of the angry adult's way. His mind turned to the Headmaster. He wondered why Mr. and Mrs. Weasley weren't told their son was attacked by a Voldemort supporter. Harry was under no illusion that all of them could have died that night if Quirrell hadn't needed to getaway. Since leaving the Hospital Wing after the incident, he tried to guess at Quirrell's plan to leave Hogwarts. If too many students were killed, it would spark a Ministry of Magic manhunt for him, making getting away with the Stone almost impossible.

Harry finished his chore before any of the other children. He read the _Advanced Potion-Making_ book at the table while he waited. Ron appeared first and all but drag Harry outside the house before Mrs. Weasley could stop them. Harry put the book back on the shelf and followed his friend outside. Ron led him to the dilapidated outhouse and pulled on the lock to the wooden door.

"Aw, mum's locked it," Ron grumbled and kicked the door in his frustration. "If I had my wand I could open this in a snap," he sighed.

Harry tried to hide his smile as he patted Ron on the shoulder. "We'll go ask for the key," he consoled and walked back toward the house. Fred and George rounded the building, huge grins on their faces.

"Hey, we got the key!" one twin shouted and shot past Harry and Ron in a dead run. The other twin wasn't far behind.

Ron grinned and took off after his older brothers. Harry shook his head and followed at a more sedate pace. Fred and George had the outhouse door open and was pulling out four brooms. "Here Harry, this one doesn't pull to the right as much," one twin said and offered a broom to Harry.

"Don't trust them," Ron warned with a grin. "They all pull hard to the right," he finished with a laugh.

The twins grinned and passed the last broom to Ron. "Come on, the orchard is up the hill. It'll hide us from the Muggles as we play. Here, Harry, you and Ron take the trunk with the balls."

Harry took one handle of the trunk and Ron took the other as they followed the chattering twins up the hill. The apple orchard was enclosed by a paddock with a wooden gate. The huge clearing in the middle of the orchard had three stone goalposts on the far end of the oval field.

"George says we can go higher than the trees without getting spotted but mum will all have our heads," Fred explained and pointed to four tall pillars at the corners of the clearing. "Those are the boundaries, if you go outside or above them, you drop the Quaffle and have to touch the ground before you can play again. Bill enchanted the boundary markers to shock you if you fly outside them. Ron, you taking Keeper again or do you want a go, Harry?" Fred asked as George opened the trunk.

"I want Keeper," Ron said with a grin. "Let's see you three try and get it past me," he boasted.

Harry grinned and mounted his broom. Ron hovered between the goalposts as Harry, Fred, and George took turns to try and get shots past him. It took time for Ron to warm up but he managed to block many of the shots. Harry saw how worn out Ron looked after the first hour of play. He switched out with Ron for a little bit and felt the physical and mental strain of trying to guess where the Quaffle was going and block the shots to the best of his ability.

"Wow, that was a great save," Fred said with a laugh.

Harry dangled one-handed off his broom and struggled to pull himself back up. He'd guessed the upper post and had to swing his broom around so he could kick the Quaffle away. His foot stung from hitting the hard ball. "Thanks," he muttered as he got situated on the broom again. "This is tiring," he said with a smile.

Harry noticed Ginny watching them from the tree line as the other boys fought for who would go next. So far, Harry hadn't blocked as many shots as Ron had.

"Fred, you want a turn or are we going to do two versus two Chaser fights?" George called after Harry missed another shot from Fred.

"Two versus two, we'll do you and me versus Ron and Harry," Fred said with a grin.

Harry tried not to groan when he realized how mismatched the teams were. The twins had a lot of experience whereas he and Ron had a little bit from the pick-up games. "All right," he called and flew over to Ron. "How are we going to do this?"

"Try and out fly them?" Ron answered with a shrug. "Who knows, just have fun!"

Harry laughed and did as Ron suggested. He got in close and slammed against Fred to make him drop the Quaffle as they flew up the field. Fred cried out and dropped the Quaffle but Harry wasn't fast enough to get the red ball. George swooped under them and snagged the Quaffle. Ron attempted to block him but missed.

"You hit hard," George said a while later as the four boys walked back to the house. They'd left the trunk under a large tree so it would be there after lunch.

"Couldn't get the Quaffle any other way," Harry answered with a grin.

"Ron you've got to work on your stamina if you want to play on the team. Right now, Angelina could fly circles around you," Fred said with a laugh.

"I know," Ron groaned and rubbed his forearms. "It's hard to fly, fight the brooms, and block both of you. My arms are shaking."

"Harry, you did well! Have you thought about trying out for the team?" George praised and clapped Harry on the back.

"I hadn't given it much thought. I know Ron wants to try out for the Seeker position," Harry answered with a shrug.

"Harry, can we work on those exercises from the Quidditch prep book?" Ron asked as they walked into the kitchen. The boys had put the brooms up in the outhouse before going inside.

"Sure," Harry answered and found a place at the kitchen table.

Mrs. Weasley greeted them with a smile and asked how the Quidditch game went. The Weasley boys all excitedly told their mother about the game and how each of them did. Ginny walked into the kitchen from outside a few minutes later. Harry smiled at her, knowing she'd been watching them play.

"That's nice boys. Go wash up before you eat," Mrs. Weasley said and waved her wand. Five plates with sandwiches on them floated to the table. After everyone returned from the bathroom they took a seat at the table again. "Eat up, we'll have dinner earlier tonight. Tomorrow everyone is de-gnoming the garden."

The Weasley boys groaned as they dug into their food. Harry wondered if they were going to move lawn ornaments. Ginny looked excited by the prospect of de-gnoming with her brothers and Harry. After everyone ate, Ron announced he would take a shower.

"Harry?" a quiet voice said.

Harry turned to see Ginny staring at him with a faint blush to her cheeks. "Yes?" he said, rising from the table.

"Can I look through your coursebooks for Hogwarts?" she asked sitting a little straighter.

"Don't bother him, Ginny. Go play with your dolls or something," Ron spat from the doorway. He poked his head back in and started to scold his sister for bothering his friend.

"Ronald Weasley, you will apologize to your sister this instant," Mrs. Weasley thundered from the scullery door. She appeared in the kitchen a moment later and glared at her youngest son. "Well?" she challenged.

Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand on end as the stern woman launched into a tirade when Ron didn't apologize fast enough. He watched, awed and cowed by the kindly woman's temper. Ron seemed to deflate and draw in on himself under her wrath. Harry noticed Ginny looked sullen and upset her mother interfered on her behalf. She left without a word after Ron stammered an apology.

Ron took a long time to reappear downstairs, something that hadn't bothered Harry. He sat at the table and read more of the Potions book. After two more chapters, he noticed his body odor and made his way up to the bathroom.

Ron was asleep on his bed, still in his clothes from earlier. He snored into his pillow as Harry grabbed a change of clothes. After a shower in a small, cramped bathroom, he went back downstairs to find Fred and George sitting with Ginny. They were whispering in low, conspiratorial voices as they read from a long bit of parchment. Harry stopped by the doorway to the hall and watched as Fred and George's smiles grew wider as Ginny talked.

Mrs. Weasley made a noise in the scullery, causing the Weasley children to jump and hide the parchment behind their back. They breathed out a sigh of relief only to jump in unison when they saw Harry leaning against the door frame of the hallway. He grinned at them but didn't say anything.

"Do you ever make any noise, mate?" one twin groused as Harry plopped into a chair by the fireplace.

"Not if I can help it," Harry chuckled and gestured with his chin toward the parchment behind Ginny. "Get any farther with the idea?" he asked with a smirk.

"We're going to test gunpowder with the spell. See what that does for rocketing the firework higher and maybe producing more fireworks," the other twin answered. He pointed to Ginny. "Let me introduce our brains behind some of our more ingenious pranks."

Ginny flushed and sketched a sitting-bow. Harry laughed. "They need all the help they can get," he said.

"Oi!" the twins chorused to Ginny's giggles. They turned and tickled her, causing her giggles to turn into laughter.

"Don't make her wet the couch," Mrs. Weasley called from the scullery.

Ginny flushed redder and beat her brothers off her with her fists. Harry winced as the twins howled in pain and jumped off the couch.

"Mad I tell you," they chorused. One twin rolled up the parchment and tucked it into his shirt.

"Have fun, Gin," the other twin said and led the way out of the room, headed upstairs.

Ginny scowled at her brothers but a small grin played at the corner of her lips. "Harry?" she asked and turned her bright brown eyes to Harry.

"Pick one subject," Harry answered with a smile.

Ginny froze and bit her lip. He watched as her eyes fell on his chest pocket, where he kept his flashcards. Harry waited in silence as Ginny seemed to war with herself over what subject she wanted to read. "Charms!" she said in a firm voice.

"You won't be able to cast the charms yet, not without a wand," Harry said after a moment.

"That's fine! I just want to learn how to cast spells!" Ginny said in a strong voice. She sat up straighter and looked Harry in the eye.

"Charms it is then," Harry said with a grin and went upstairs to get his book _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk.


	2. Chapter 2: A Strange Visitor

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 2: A Strange Visitor**

"You may get confused on some of the subjects because Miranda Goshawk talks about a lot of Magical Theory. I should have read _Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling first, but like you, chose to jump right into _The Standard Book of Spells_. Read as far as you can," Harry said as he passed his copy of _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) _to Ginny who sat at the kitchen table.

Mrs. Weasley watched from the stove with a smile. Harry put the Magical Theory book on the table and opened his copy of _An Anthology of Eighteen__th __Century Charms_. He'd purchased it on his first trip to Flourish and Blotts but never got around to reading very far into the book.

Ginny read for a while in silence, only asking him or Mrs. Weasley a few questions on how to pronounce a few of the words. Percy came downstairs and took a plate of food up to his room. Mrs. Weasley fussed over Percy for a few minutes before the older boy could escape.

"I'll be back in a bit," Harry said and left the kitchen. Ginny was still reading and mumbled something. Mrs. Weasley gave him a smile and turned back to the large pot on the stove. Potatoes peeled themselves over a basket on the floor beside her. Harry went upstairs to Ron's room and found his friend just waking up from his nap.

"I was tired," Ron muttered as he pulled off his sweaty shirt. "Blimey, that smells."

"Who are you telling, mate," Harry replied with a laugh. He opened his trunk and dug out some heavy parchment, an inkpot, and his favorite quill. "I'll be downstairs when you get out of the shower," Harry called over his shoulder and went back to the kitchen.

Harry laid one of the flashcards on top of the heavy parchment and traced the outline of the card. He continued the pattern for another nine cards before the entire parchment was used up. "The Hardening Charm looks useful," Harry said aloud as he dog-eared the page in his book. It amused him to imagine how much Hermione would scold him for damaging his book.

"Could I use your flashcards?" Ginny asked after a little bit.

"They are for review, you need to read the material first," Harry answered immediately. He smirked when she glared at him.

Ron pulled Harry away from finishing the second parchment of flashcards to play wizard chess. Harry didn't mind as it allowed him to mull over the next few cards he wanted to make. He wanted to use the new cards to write out interesting spells he could try, so he focused on the need-to-know portions of each spell and not when it was created or the history behind the spell.

"Harry, you aren't trying," Ron complained as he won the second game.

"Sorry, I was focused on the new spells. We could use Duro, the Hardening Spell, to transfigure a door into stone or…" Harry explained but was cut off by Ron's angry tirade.

"We're playing wizard chess! Not trying to learn more spells. What is up with you and Hermione trying to learn every spell ever created," Ron complained and crossed his arms.

"Sorry, Ron, but magic is bloody wicked. I'll take the next game seriously," Harry promised and tried to put the new spells out of his head.

Harry focused on the next game and beat Ron with a queen's wing push. Their last game got interrupted by Mr. Weasley coming home from work. He wore the same black robes and blue tie as the previous day. Arthur kissed his wife, to a chorus of groans from the Weasley children and waved to Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley went upstairs to their bedroom as Arthur told his wife about important news from the Ministry.

"Do you think Hermione did her homework already?" Ron asked as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"She probably started her homework the moment she walked in the door," Harry answered with a laugh.

"John Dawlish will come by tomorrow to put a few enchantments around the house," Mrs. Weasley announced to the family as everyone tucked into the stew that was for dinner.

"Harry, he'll want to say hello," Arthur said with a small frown. "Dawlish has a knack for getting in the good graces of the powerful."

Harry wasn't sure how to take Mr. Weasley's off-handed comment but nodded that he understood. His question as to why Dawlish was coming over was answered by Mr. Weasley a moment later.

"Ah, you're quite famous, Harry," Arthur said with a strained smile. "The Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, wants a little more protection for you than Molly or I could provide," he said in a low voice.

"Nonsense, Fudge just wants to keep an eye on Harry," Mrs. Weasley tutted and turned to Harry. "Remember dear, there are a lot of witches and wizards who will want to meet and use you." She stopped and looked at her husband before turning back to him. "Before you hear it from someone else, Arthur and I receive a small salary from the Ministry to have you stay over. I would like to be clear that we tried to turn it down. All of the money is going into a vault at Gringotts for you. We refuse to touch the money."

Mr. Weasley nodded and continued the conversation. "Molly is right, we don't want or need the money the Ministry is trying to give us. We love having you over and I know Ron enjoys your company. For us, family is more important than any number of Galleons in the world."

Harry heard a soft snort from Percy beside him but nodded to Mr. Weasley. He hadn't thought about what complications he might impose on Ron's parents. "What does this mean?" he asked and looked between the adults.

"It means, the Ministry will have Aurors stop by at random times to check on the security of the house and add Ministry Level Protection to the premises. I won't lie, Harry. Having that level of protection for my family is hard to say no to," Arthur said as he looked Harry in the eye. "I understand if you feel angry or used, please understand, we didn't want any of this for you or have the Ministry insert themselves into our lives."

"Do I need to leave?" Harry asked, thinking of moving back to the Leaky Cauldron with Tom.

"No, dear. We would like you to stay and enjoy your summer. For us," Mrs. Weasley said as she gestured to Arthur and herself, "we only have to be inconvenienced for a few months. This level of security will follow you until you come of age. The Minister is very anxious to not lose you again."

Harry snorted and shook his head. He hadn't had any say in being sent to Providence. A voice in the back of his head wondered why Dumbledore allowed all this to happen when he was his magical guardian. "If you'll have me, then I'd like to stay," he answered after a few minutes.

Harry noticed Mrs. Weasley's beaming smile and Mr. Weasley's strained one. The rest of dinner was a subdued affair as everyone digested what was talked about. Harry mulled over his options and decided he'd chosen the best one for him. If he went back to the Leaky Cauldron, if really he even had a choice to, then he'd be alone with his books again. He enjoyed Ron's company, even if his friend could be annoying sometimes.

"Mrs. Weasley," Harry said after everyone got up from the table. Ron went up to his room to get the exploding snap cards.

"Yes, dear?" Mrs. Weasley said and turned to look at Harry.

"Could you use the salary to…" he trailed off as he saw a hard look appear in her eyes.

"That money is yours, given to you by the Ministry," Mrs. Weasley said in a stern voice. "Arthur and I have plenty already."

"All right, ma'am," Harry answered, not wanting to incur her wrath. The scene from earlier in the day was fresh in his mind.

"You and Ron enjoy your game of exploding snap. Don't stay up too late," Mrs. Weasley said with a warm smile and went back to the wash.

Harry and Ron played exploding snap with the twins while Ginny watched with her arms crossed. The twins laughed and tried to throw Ron off his game. It didn't take Harry long to realize the youngest Weasley wanted to play but couldn't as she didn't have her wand yet.

"I'm tired," Fred yawned and stood. "Have a good night Harry, Ron," George said as he stood. Ginny left the room in a huff after a few minutes of watching them play.

"See you two in the morning," Harry said and stood. He followed Ron upstairs and dressed for bed.

"Should we start on the homework to get it out of the way tomorrow," Harry suggested as he crawled into the lumpy camp-bed. He remembered Mrs. Weasley saying that she would get a real bed for him.

"Do we have to?" Ron complained into his pillow. "It's the second day of vacation! Can't it wait for a few weeks?"

"Ron, I'd really rather not have to lie to Hermione when she writes asking about it. You know she will," Harry said with a laugh. Ron moaned his frustration into his pillow.

"Fine," Ron huffed and rolled over. "Night, Harry."

"Night, Ron," Harry called back and tried to find a comfortable position on the bed. He was tired from the day and quickly found sleep.

John Dawlish arrived at the Burrow at nine o'clock the next morning. The tall, tough-looking wizard had very short, wiry gray hair and beady dark eyes. He stomped around the yard for a few minutes before inviting himself into the Weasley's kitchen. Harry watched the Ministry Auror from his favorite spot facing the door.

The tall Auror locked eyes with Harry and smiled. "Harry Potter, what an honor to meet you," he said and stuck out his hand.

Harry shook Dawlish's hand and noticed the Auror's eyes roam over his face and exposed hand. "Nice to meet you too, sir," he said and tried not to feel annoyed by the man. "Any chance I could watch whatever you're going to do?"

"Sorry, Ministry business, Mr. Potter. There are, however, a few standard protection spells you can find at Flourish and Blotts if you look under the Auror section near the back," Dawlish answered with a wink. He looked up and smiled again. "Mrs. Weasley, it's been a while."

"John, it's been ages. How has being an Auror treated you? I know you always wanted to be one," Mrs. Weasley asked as she gave the tall wizard a prim hug.

"Very good, ma'am," Dawlish answered with a flush. "Mum told me to tell you hello."

"I'll write to Agatha tonight. I haven't seen her in ages," Mrs. Weasley said with a grin. "Thank you for taking the time to protect my home, dear."

"Always a pleasure, ma'am," Dawlish said with a small bow. "Harry, it's been a pleasure."

Dawlish retreated from the kitchen and pulled his wand. Harry watched while the Auror cast spell after spell into the air around the Burrow. Some spells he aimed at the ground, but most were shot into the air. Harry thought he could see a faint shimmer in the air as Dawlish walked around the front of the house. The Weasley children and Harry watched from the different bedrooms as they watched Dawlish repeat the same spells at all four cardinal points of the house.

The Auror didn't return to the kitchen before Apparating away. Harry and Ron went to get their coursebooks when Fred announced thunderclouds overhead. After it became clear it would rain for a while, the twins and Percy all sat around the table attempting to finish their summer homework.

"Why are there so many essays on Goblin Wars?" Ginny asked Percy as she took a seat beside him. She was reading from Harry's Charms book but was getting fidgety in her chair. Harry tried to ignore Ginny's growing insistence for someone to go over Magical Theory with her. It became obvious how late the girl had stayed up reading by the questions she was asking. Ron gave him a "see what you did" look. Harry shrugged in response and went back to his essay on Trolls.

Mrs. Weasley drew Ginny away for a while, something Harry was thankful for. He was able to complete three essays to Ron's one by the time lunch rolled around. Once the skies cleared, the Weasley boys, except Percy, were itching to go outside and play more Quidditch. Harry didn't remind them about the de-gnoming chore Mrs. Weasley told them about the day before.

"You will de-gnome the garden before you go to the orchard," Mrs. Weasley ordered as she took the empty plates away.

"Awww!" Ron huffed and kicked his feet under the table.

"What exactly is de-gnoming?" Harry asked.

"Garden gnomes infest wizard gardens and like to dig up roots and plants to make gnomeholes. They are a pest," George said and laughed. "Dad loves the little things even though mum hates them."

Harry stood to one side as Fred stuck his head into a bush. He came up a moment later with a potato-like creature with two arms, two legs, and a misshapen head. "Gerroff me!" the creature yelled.

"This is a gnome!" Fred said and swung it around in circles before launching it a good ten feet in the air over the short wall. "They aren't hurt. You have to get them dizzy enough for them to forget where their gnomeholes are. Newt Scamander says you can drop them out of the garden after you make them dizzy, but this is way more fun!"

Harry was timid about throwing small creatures around until one gnome bit him and called him a "bloody muppet." Shaking his hand and nursing his finger, the rest of the boys laughed at his reluctance to throw the gnomes. After that incident, Harry chucked the gnomes as far as he could launch them.

"Bloody hell," Harry groused as he lost another long-distance challenge from the twins. "How do your gnomes seem to catch the wind and go farther," he asked, narrowing his eyes at the twin's pockets. He wondered if they had their wands up their sleeves to cheat with.

"Not using magic," George answered with a chuckle.

"Good ol' Beater power!" Fred said with a laugh.

"Let's go tell mum, the gnomes are out of the garden," Ron said before running to find his mother.

Harry stood outside and retraced Dawlish's steps, looking around for traces of the invisible magic. One of the books he'd read talked about all magic leaving traces in the air or ground but Harry couldn't figure out how to find it. Ron ran back outside with a book in his hand and the key to the broom shed. After unlocking the outhouse, the boys tramped up to the orchard.

"The book says arm strength and leg strength are paramount to a professional Quidditch player. I think I want to do arm strength first," Ron announced and flipped to the chapter in the book devoted to the subject. Harry had the feeling the recent de-gnoming competition fueled Ron's desire to be stronger.

"Here, Merlin's pants there are a lot of exercises!" Ron gasped as he flipped through the pages.

Harry looked over and raised an eyebrow. "Hanging leg-lift, hover your broom a few feet off the ground, keep your arms straight, shoulders together, and legs straight down. Then lift your legs up so your hips are perpendicular to the ground without bending your knees. Keep your body as still as possible. Do this fifteen times for one set. Ready to give it a shot?"

"You're on, mate!" Ron said and put the book down on the trunk beside them.

Fred and George wandered over to watch Harry and Ron attempt the exercise. They flipped through the book while Ron struggled to finish one set. "Well, we know where Wood gets some of his ideas from," one twin complained as he dropped the book back down onto the trunk.

"Harry, you make that look easy," the other twin accused.

"I'm getting out of shape," Harry complained and dropped to the ground. "Something like this shouldn't be tiring me as out much as it is. I haven't been keeping up with my exercises."

"Mental," Ron gasped as he let go of his broom. He hit the ground with wobbling knees and breathed hard. "These are tough," he said and glared at Harry. "You do make this look easy."

"I've been doing physical exercise longer and more often than you, Ron. You'll get better with time. We have all summer to get you in shape," Harry answered with a feral grin.

The twins gave each other a wry look. "You sound like Wood," they chorused and laughed.

Harry settled into his life at the Burrow after a week passed. In the early morning, he would take time for himself to read or practice spells in the bathroom after his shower. By mid-morning, Ron was up and ready to continue his Quidditch exercises. After lunch, Ron would shower and take a nap for an hour. Harry sat with Ginny and Percy as they went over the Charm's first-year coursebook and Magical Theory. He wondered how far ahead Ginny would be compared to her peers. In the afternoons, Harry would either play with Ron and the twins or play one of the various wizard games on the bookshelf.

"Oh, I do hope Albus wrote back," Mrs. Weasley said one morning as Errol landed on the kitchen table and skidded to a halt on his back, wings still splayed.

"Is he, okay?" Harry asked as he looked up from his book at the aged owl.

"He'll be fine," Percy said and set the bird to rights.

Mrs. Weasley took the letter and nodded. Harry noticed her lips become a thin line and her eyes narrow at the letter. She opened it and muttered to herself by the sink. She looked up to meet Harry's eyes before looking back down at the letter. Harry fidgeted in his seat wondering how much Dumbledore told Mrs. Weasley. He tried to look busy reading his book.

"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said in a low voice.

Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Yes, Mrs. Weasley?"

"I'm very glad you, Ron, Miss Granger, and Mr. Longbottom are safe," she finished with a wide smile. "That was very brave of you dear."

"Uh, thanks, Mrs. Weasley," Harry stammered, wondering how the events of that night could garner a smile from the protective woman. He knew how much she doted over all of her children and how their safety was her primary concern. The idea Dumbledore hadn't told her everything floated around in his mind. He couldn't think of a way to ask to read the letter without explaining his suspicions.

Mrs. Weasley tucked the letter into her apron and continued bustling around the kitchen with a small smile. Harry noticed her white knuckles as she clutched the frying pan. He heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arguing in their bedroom that night before dinner. Ron was oblivious to the tension in the air and Harry didn't want to fill his friend in unless it was necessary.

"Harry, what is the function of a light bulb? It has something to do with el-lecl-tricity, right?" Mr. Weasley questioned at the dinner table.

Harry fought not to roll his eyes at the seemingly unending questions the adult wizard had about the Muggle world. He wondered how he kept his job at the Ministry if he was the department head that dealt with enchanted Muggle objects. Mr. Weasley explained some of the inner-workings of the Ministry of Magic, something Percy was keenly interested in, during their discussions at dinner and sometimes afterward in the living room. Arthur enjoyed reading the Daily Prophet every morning and talking about his day every night.

"Shrinking door keys, what will those Muggle-baiters think of next?" Mr. Weasley complained and sat back in his over-sized chair.

"Shrinking door keys? Like, keys to your front door?" Harry questioned, trying to think of why this would be a problem.

"Yes, Muggle-baiters will bewitch a Muggle door key to shrink until the poor Muggle can't find it anymore. Poor blighters keep thinking they are losing them," Arthur said with a sigh.

Harry felt his eye twitch as he listened to the Pure-blood answer to his question. The Weasley family didn't realize how many slights they unintentionally made against non-magical people. He understood they didn't realize they were doing it and the comments were born from ignorance. The Weasley family were pro-Muggle but still saw their non-magical counterparts as lesser or unfortunate people.

"What is the punishment if someone is caught Muggle-baiting?" Harry asked as he watched Fred and George arguing with Ginny at the kitchen table.

"Normally a heavy fine. No one got hurt and it's more the principle behind the thing," Mr. Weasley answered with a judicious nod.

Harry sent letters to Hermione and Neville, asking them how their holidays were going. Hermione was with her parents while they visited family in France. Neville was working on building his greenhouse that he'd talked about all year. His grandmother was ecstatic about his marks and funded the building of his greenhouse project. Harry promised to write both of them whenever he was going to Diagon Alley so they could all meet up before the start of term.

Harry had trouble sleeping at night and took to looking out the window beside Ron's bed. The small bed Mrs. Weasley found for him was somehow more uncomfortable than the camp-bed. He didn't want to mention it to the excitable witch and used a Softening Charm on the mattress so he could get a little rest. One night, a small, dark figure dashed out from behind the overturned wheelbarrow near the garden. The figure stopped at the little outhouse and stood in front of the door for several minutes. Harry realized who it was when the moon peeked out from behind the clouds. Ginny got the broom shed door open and snatched a broom off the wall before running up to the orchard. Harry snorted and went back to bed.

The next morning, Harry woke early after a nightmare about Quirrell and Voldemort. Upset and anxious, he took a shower in the downstairs bathroom to try and calm his nerves. He figured Ginny wouldn't wake for another few hours because of how late she'd been up practicing on the stolen broom. Harry stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist when he heard a hair-raising scream from behind him. He spun around, groping for the wand on the sink next to his glasses.

"Harry! What happened to your back, dear!" Mrs. Weasley gasped, her eyes wide.

"You scared me, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said to try and divert the subject away from his burns.

"Harry, please, may I look at your shoulder?" Mrs. Weasley asked in a soft voice. She looked from his face to his hands and across his chest.

Harry never liked to look into the mirror anymore and knew the network of burn scars across his torso was more prominent than anywhere else on his body. "I'd rather you not, ma'am," he answered in what he hoped to be a nice tone. He felt violated by Mrs. Weasley's eyes even if they showed concern for his well-being.

"All right, dear. Sorry, I was half asleep and didn't realize anyone was up yet. I'll go," Mrs. Weasley said and closed the door behind her.

Harry gasped out the breath he'd been holding, thankful Ron's mother hadn't pressed the issue. It took him a few minutes to gather himself and pull on his clothes. He couldn't meet Mrs. Weasley's eyes at breakfast when he came downstairs with Ron. After lunch, Ron pulled Harry aside and asked if anything was wrong.

"I just slept badly," Harry answered with a shrug.

"Nightmares again?" Ron asked as he toweled himself off in the shade of an apple tree.

"Something like that," Harry answered with a weak laugh. "You aren't getting tired as fast anymore," he said and looked at Ron. "Way to go, mate. Ready to work on the next set of exercises in the book? We've got your core and arm strength up. You can pull yourself up and onto your broom with ease now."

"I guess so," Ron answered after a few minutes. "Isn't the next one where I use weights and do a lot of squats?"

"Yeah, like Wood's training. He does a lot of leg exercises to make sure everyone stays on their broom. The Slytherins work on all upper-body strength if my guess is correct," Harry answered with a shrug.

"Let's wait until next week to start new stuff. I want to make sure I've got this down first," Ron said and grinned over at Harry.

It took a few more days before Harry and Mrs. Weasley were on comfortable speaking terms again. Harry got the impression Ron's mother was giving him space because she didn't try and mother him as much. Mrs. Weasley treated everyone in the house as her children, even Mr. Weasley sometimes. It annoyed Harry some to have an adult insert themselves into his life when he didn't want their opinion. He went along with whatever he was told to do or scolded not to do, but he didn't like it.

Mrs. Weasley found him brewing a Wiggenweld Potion outside one morning and scolded him for acting foolishly. He argued that he'd been brewing the potion alone since before Easter. It didn't help his case, as she seemed certain he would hurt himself when his cauldron exploded one day. She compromised with him a few days later when she caught him at it again, saying he could brew potions with her in the kitchen before everyone else got up for the day. Harry knew she meant well, but it grated on his nerves to not be able to do what he wanted.

"Harry, why do you mince your stewed Mandrake when the recipe calls for you to slice them?" Ginny asked one morning. The youngest Weasley had started to wake up early so she could pelt Harry with questions before Ron woke up and chased her off. Harry had an uncomfortable moment one morning when he realized how Professor Dumbledore must have felt with all the questions he asked.

"I've been testing different combinations to see what works best. Mincing the Mandrake allows for a more even color across the entire potion. It can be hard to mince it, because of how tough the Mandrake's skin is. Easier and faster to slice them," Harry answered and put the ingredient on his Potion Clock.

"Why are you using a small iron cauldron?" Ginny asked a few minutes later.

"Because I don't want to waste too many ingredients when testing and it brews the potion a little faster than my larger pewter one."

"Dear, leave Harry alone to brew. He's taking a lot of risks by messing with the way the potion is prepared and needs to concentrate," Mrs. Weasley said from the stove. Harry noticed she kept a close watch on him as he brewed.

Harry knew Mrs. Weasley was right to be worried, as tampering too much with an established potion recipe could spell disaster. "It's all right, Mrs. Weasley, she isn't bothering me," Harry lied with a shrug. Ginny annoyed him but it was something he could say to disagree with Mrs. Weasley.

The matronly woman hummed at him and shot him a complicated look. He had the feeling she knew his thought process. That afternoon, Mrs. Weasley called Harry back into the living room where she was knitting. "Before you go off with Ron and the boys, have a seat," she instructed.

Harry got the feeling he couldn't say no to her this time. "Bill and Charlie have written back and are okay with you staying in their room," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. "I'll ask you to move back in with Ron if either of them comes round for dinner," she finished.

"No problem and thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said, trying to fight down his excitement. He got tired of trying to practice magic in the small bathroom.

"Off you go, I'll ask you to keep their room clean. I'd tell you to make your bed every morning but you do that better than I can already," she said with a laugh.

Harry told Ron the good news and got a mixed expression in return. "Something wrong with my room?" Ron asked as they did pull-ups on their brooms.

"No, mate, but I'm sure you'd like to get changed without me in the room. That and snog your Chuddley Cannons posters," Harry teased with a laugh.

"Oi! I do not snog my posters!" Ron bellowed and accidentally let go of his broom. He hit the ground with a hard thump.

"You good, mate?" Harry asked as he swung up onto his broom with one hand and flew to catch Ron's escaping broom.

Ron was rubbing his leg as Harry landed with Ron's broom clutched in his hand. "That hurt," Ron complained and shook his leg.

"Here you go, mate," Harry said and passed Ron his broom. "Try to stay on it this time," he said with a laugh.

"Oi! I fly better than you ever could!" Ron said with a grin.

A few hours later, Harry closed the door behind him as he went into Fred and George's room. "Any progress?" he questioned.

One twin sat at the desk by the window, using his scales to measure a pile gunpowder against three Sickles. Harry and the twins were working on mini-fireworks that could produce just as much of a bang as the normal-sized ones. It would be easier to hide and could make a larger impact with fewer materials. "Almost there, three Sickles is just about right for the amount of gunpowder needed," the twin on the bed said.

"Fred has the idea we could bewitch the paper around the fireworks to create a before or after explosion as well," George said with a grin as he pointed to a small pile of red firecracker wrappers.

"We're almost done with this project. We'll need to choose another joke item to work on next. Our list keeps growing," Fred said with a sigh.

"You love every minute of it," Harry shot back with a laugh. Both twins grinned at him.

"Heard from mum that you're getting Bill and Charlie's old room. You can practice all you want now," George said with a wry smirk. "You won't keep knocking over the toothbrush cup trying to wave your wand around."

"You trying to explain to mum why you kept knocking over the cup kept us in stitches," Fred continued with a laugh.

"I really did knock it over when I was looking for my glasses! Come on!" Harry groused.

The days melded together for Harry as June rolled into July. Bill and Charlie's room had posters of Ancient Runes on one side of the room and moving portraits of dragons on the other. The portrait over Charlie's bed had a Romanian Longhorn breathing fire at a wizard who split the fire with a spell. Harry chose Charlie's bed to sleep in, as it was next to the window.

"_P__ercy__you__r__letter__is here__!_" Mrs. Weasley screamed one morning as a large brown owl landed on the kitchen table.

Every door in the house slammed open as the entire Weasley family rushed to get downstairs first. "I thought it would be by the fifteenth," Percy stammered as he took a seat at the table. Mrs. Weasley placed the letter in front of him. Arthur put his hand on Percy's shoulder and squeezed.

"I… I… I…" Percy stammered harder as tears fell from his eyes.

"You what, Perce?" the twins chorused as the tried to peer over Percy's shoulder.

"I passed them all," Percy got out with a gasp. "I pass them all! Mum, Dad,_I passed them all!_" The normally reserved boy jumped up and screamed his excitement at the top of his lungs.

The entire Weasley family cheered for Percy. Fred and George complained how insufferable Percy would be from now on but still congratulated his hard work. Ron looked morose. Ginny screeched and jumped on her brother's neck. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley took turns reading the letter and hugging their son. They looked like all their dreams had come true.

"Oh, we will have to celebrate! Maybe a cake!" Mrs. Weasley gushed and flicked her wand at the cabinets.

Percy didn't gloat as much as the twins feared and retreated to his room as soon as he could get away from his parents. Errol got run ragged by Mrs. Weasley as she used the aged owl to let her friends and family know the good news. Harry itched to pull a Ginny and ask Percy for his old coursebooks and notes. Percy's marks galvanized Harry to do better than the older boy. Ron was annoyed with him for the next few days when he told Ron to practice alone so he could read more. Harry used the excuse of studying to stay later and longer in Bill and Charlie's room so he could continue to practice his Charms and Transfiguration spell-work.

Mr. Weasley used the Floo Network via the fireplace to go to the office in the mornings and return home at night. He'd only Apparate if there was an incident or was coming home late from one. Mr. Weasley would come home late at least once a week and sometimes more if the name Mundungus "Dung" Fletcher was involved. Harry couldn't tell if the small-time criminal helped or hindered Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley seemed to dislike hearing Dung's name in Arthur's nightly recaps of his day.

Harry sent Neville a book on plants in Great Britain for his birthday a few days early. He'd needed a reason to get out of the kitchen when Ginny received her letter. She screamed and ran around the kitchen as Mrs. Weasley watched on with a huge grin. Mr. Weasley picked Ginny up and calmed the excited girl down. Mrs. Weasley said they would go to Diagon Alley to get her school things with the rest of the boys in a few days.

Hedwig was happy to see him when he called to her from Bill and Charlie's window. Harry's snowy white owl enjoyed flying and hated being caged. He allowed her free roam of the Burrow and often played with her at night. "Here, Hedwig. I've got a letter for Neville and the present. I really need you to stop by Hermione's too," he said and scratched Hedwig's neck.

She hooted at him and affectionately nipped at his finger. Hedwig took off, buffeting Harry with her wings. Harry watched as his owl disappeared into the morning. Ginny had to be sent to her room by mid-day because she wouldn't calm down. Mrs. Weasley had enough of the excited girl's talking and random shouts of joy. For three blessed hours, Harry sat with Ron and enjoyed the silence while playing wizard chess. It was raining outside so they couldn't even go out to play Quidditch to get away from Ginny.

Harry lay in bed that night, reading a book by wand-light. A sudden crack made him jump and point his wand at the small dark figure. His wand illuminated a house-elf standing by the door. It was about three and a half feet tall with large, tennis-ball-like green eyes, a pencil-like nose, and long, bat-like pointed ears. One ear was bent down a little and had fresh cuts along the top edge. The house-elf wore a dirty pillowcase and cowered under Harry's wand.

"Harry Potter, such an honor it is," the house-elf said in a quavering voice.

"Hello? Are you from Hogwarts?" Harry asked, lowering his wand a little. He flicked his wand at a candle on the bedside table and lit the small candle.

"I am not from Hogwarts, sir. So long has Dobby wanted to meet you!" the house-elf said with a grin.

"Uh, hello Dobby. It's nice to meet you too," Harry greeted, feeling confused by the entire situation. His eyes fell on Dobby's hands and he gasped. "Dobby, your hands. Did someone hurt you?"

"Dobby had to iron his fingers, sir," Dobby whimpered and hid his hands under his pillowcase.

"I can heal them, Dobby," Harry said as he got out of bed.

"Never… never ever has Dobby been shown such kindness from a wizard," the house-elf wailed. Fat droplets of water leaked out of Dobby's eyes.

"That's horrible, who could hate house-elves?" Harry said and shook his head. He pointed his wand at Dobby's fingers. "Leniae," he said and watched as Dobby's bleeding and blistered fingers mended themselves. The spell wasn't perfect as he could still see the marks and cuts on Dobby's weathered skin.

"Thank you, Harry Potter! Thank you for this kindness Dobby doesn't deserve," the house-elf wailed into Harry's shirt.

"Now that you're healed, mostly, what can I do for you?" Harry asked and sat down on the bed. He patted the bed beside him.

Dobby cried louder and Harry cast a Muffliato Charm at the door to prevent the distraught house-elf from disturbing the rest of the house. He hoped the charm worked as he'd only recently learned how to cast it. "Dobby, please take a deep breath. There you go, what can I do for you?" Harry prompted and looked at the door. He didn't hear anyone moving up or down the stairs.

"Dobby… Dobby is here to warn Harry Potter. Dobby never knew the greatness of Harry Potter. Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby…" the house-elf gasped and started to wail again.

Harry felt his eye twitch as he looked at the sobbing house-elf. "Whoever said I'm great is full of it. Take a deep breath, Dobby, please."

"Harry Potter is humble and modest," Dobby said and hugged himself. "Dobby is bad and has to stop Harry Potter from going back to school."

"Why, Dobby? Why must I not go back to school?" Harry asked, narrowing his eyes at the house-elf.

"Dobby cannot tell, Dobby cannot tell," the house-elf wailed and beat himself over the head with his fist.

Harry caught Dobby's wrist and held it tight. The diminutive house-elf was no match for his strength. "Deep breaths and explain, please Dobby."

"Dobby cannot explain. Dobby's master ma…" Dobby started before his eyes widened and he beat himself over the head with his other hand. "_Bad_ Dobby, _Bad_ Dobby," he cried until Harry caught that wrist too.

"Stop hitting yourself, Dobby! Look me in the eyes," Harry ordered in a stern voice. "There, only explain what you can. I will immobilize you if you try and hurt yourself again."

"Harry Potter is a greater wizard than Dobby knew," the house-elf hiccuped. Snot ran out of Dobby's nose. "Dobby has to punish himself if Dobby goes against Master's orders."

"Does your Master know you are here?" Harry asked, hearing Quirrell's voice in his mind talking about the Master he served.

"Oh, no, sir, no! Dobby will have to punish himself more after leaving. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, sir…" Dobby gasped and shuddered. He struggled against Harry's strength for a moment before giving up.

"I know you can't escape, I've done a little reading about house-elves. Pass your warning or information quickly so you don't have to hurt yourself more," Harry grated out, hating himself for asking more of the magically bound house-elf. He had an idea of what horror awaited Dobby for his disobedience.

"Harry Potter's greatness," Dobby cried and shuddered. "Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts. Dobby has come to warn and protect Harry Potter! Even if Dobby has to shut his ears in the oven door later. Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts!"

"Why? What awaits me at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. He tried to envision Voldemort returning or waiting somewhere in the Forbidden Forrest. Dumbledore never said where Voldemort escaped to.

"Harry Potter must stay where he is, stay safe. He is too good to lose! If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts he will be in mortal danger," Dobby gasped and shuddered.

"More mortal danger than normal?" Harry laughed.

"Harry Potter jokes at death. How great Harry Potter is! There is a plot to make terrible things happen at Hogwarts," Dobby said in a whisper. He trembled in Harry's grip. "Dobby has known for months and now must act, sir. Harry Potter is too important!"

"What plot?" Harry asked and grimaced as the house-elf writhed and mewled in his grip. "All right, all right, don't tell me."

"The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, will protect the school, Dobby. He did when Voldemort," Harry tried to say before Dobby wailed.

"_Don't say his name_! Speak not the name!"

"Dumbledore has protected the school," Harry continued, ignoring the house-elf's wails. "He will continue to protect the school."

"The plot is against Mr. Dumbledore as well, sir!" Dobby cried and tried to beat himself on the head again.

"Enough, Dobby. You've passed your message. Please stop trying to hurt yourself."

It took thirty minutes for Harry to calm Dobby down. After letting the house-elf go, he grimaced at the numerous praises the addle-brained house-elf heaped on him. Harry thanked Dobby for his warning again and was thankful when Dobby left with a quiet pop. He lay in bed for hours trying to go over the warning in his mind. Dobby's warning made him nervous about his future at Hogwarts.

"Did you have a nightmare, dear?" Mrs. Weasley questioned before breakfast.

Harry froze and grimaced. He forgot the master bedroom was above his. "Sorry, Mrs. Weasley," he said and winced as she wrapped him in a hug.

"They are just dreams," Mrs. Weasley said and patted his head. "I can brew up a Potion of Dreamless Sleep if you'd like."

"Uh, thank you, ma'am, but I'm all right," Harry said and disengaged from the motherly woman. "They come and go."

"If you ever do, just let me know," Mrs. Weasley said in a kind voice and turned back to the pot on the stove.

Harry debated telling his friend what he'd learned from Dobby as everyone ate breakfast. After the boys got up, he pulled Fred, George, and Ron aside to talk with them. "Let's go to the orchard for a walk," he suggested.

"No brooms?" Ron asked, a manic light appearing in his eye.

"No brooms for now. Something happened last night we need to discuss," Harry stated. He saw the twins exchanged a glance before breaking out into wide smiles. His heart dropped to his stomach as he realized the twins were about to make fun of him.

"Harry, that happens when you get older," George said with a smirk.

"It happened to Percy when he was sleeping on the couch," Fred added with a snicker.

"Something tells me I don't want to know," Harry said slowly as he looked between the cackling twins. "No, I had a visitor last night," he tried again.

The twins guffawed with laughter as they clutched their stomachs. "Tell me, did she," George started but Fred interrupted, "or he," he said with a laugh. "Did she have pretty eyes?" George managed to choke out.

"Okay, yeah, no, now I know what you're talking about. Sick! No, a house-elf appeared in my room and told me it would be dangerous to go to Hogwarts," Harry said quickly, as to not cause any more misunderstandings.

"What?" the Weasley boys chorused together.

"Dobby, a house-elf, appeared in Bill and Charlie's room last night," Harry said and explained his entire baffling experience. He left out the use of magic since Ron was there.

"Blimey," Ron muttered. "You think it might be You-Know-Who?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't feel right. Why wouldn't Voldemort just use Dobby to steal the Stone?" Harry asked aloud and ignored the gasps from the other boys.

"Mysterious," George said. "Mum always wanted a house-elf. Know anyone who would want to do you in, Harry?"

"Maybe not do me in, but Malfoy and I have had some differences," Harry answered with a wry grin. The twins grinned back at him.

"Dobby is a fairly unique name for a house-elf. Maybe we can ask one of the Hogwarts house-elves if they've heard of him," Fred offered with a shrug. "You going to skip this year?"

"No way in bloody hell am I missing Hogwarts," Harry declared and narrowed his eyes.

"Easy, mate," Ron laughed. "We won't be stopping you from going."

When the boys returned to the kitchen, Mrs. Weasley stopped Harry with a gleam in her eye. "Happy Birthday, Harry!" she said as Ginny appeared from the hallway holding a large cake. It had "Happy 12th Birthday" in red frosting across the top of the white cake.

"That's why you kept circling around the orchard," Harry groaned as he looked to Fred and George. They flashed him a huge grin.

Harry was led over to a small pile of presents on the sofa. "We thought you'd notice the owls over the last few days, mate," Ron laughed as he picked up a large brown package. He passed it to Harry with a grin.

Harry opened the package with a raised eyebrow. He read the title of the book and grinned at his friend. "Brilliant, thanks! I can't wait to give it a read." _Dueling: The Basic and Intermediate Guide_ by Servan Newman had a picture of two old wizards locked in a duel.

Hagrid sent him a large album of pictures of his mother and father. The letter said the gentle giant had sent off to all James and Lilly's friends for any picture they might have of them. Harry flipped through the album, engrossed in watching his parents growing older and falling in love. He thought his father looked a bit of a prat in a few of his younger photos, but noticed quiet reserve behind his father's eyes as he got older. His mother looked and acted like a ball of energy throughout her entire life. All of her pictures made her look beautiful and vibrant. Harry's throat caught as he realized the last few pictures were days before their murder.

"We've got you a little something too," Fred said with a laugh. He passed Harry a round black ball. "Throw it against the carpet!"

Harry realized what was in his hand and laughed. He threw the ball into the carpet and grinned as the Smokescreen Spell erupted from the small ball. The entire first floor was obscured by the smoke as Mrs. Weasley scolded the twins. Harry realized the twins had run outside as soon as the smokescreen covered the room.

After the smoke dissipated with the help of Mrs. Weasley's wand, she handed him a small package. It was a worn mortar and pestle bewitched to help grind ingredients into finer powders. Harry thanked her with a grin and picked up Neville's present. His round-faced friend sent him a dueling wand holster that could be tied to his leg or hip. Hermione sent a handwritten compendium of popular quality of life spells she'd found. He was surprised by the almost two hundred page book that Hermione wrote herself.

Ginny made him a red and gold scarf out of course wool. Harry smiled and thanked the blushing girl.

"Thank you all," Harry said and smiled at everyone still in the living room.

"You're welcome, dear. Now, I believe it is time for cake," Mrs. Weasley said with a bright smile.

Harry enjoyed the day with Ron, Ginny, and the twins in the orchard playing Quidditch. Ginny was coaxed onto a broom by Fred and Harry had to fight to not laugh at Ginny's acting ability. She looked lost while the twins showed her how to fly. Harry had to return to the house to go to the bathroom so he wouldn't burst out laughing. He had three kinds of dessert for dinner and felt stuffed as he lay in bed reading Hermione's present.

All the boys received their letters from Hogwarts the next morning. Harry grimaced at all the books they were required to buy for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Every book listed was written by Gilderoy Lockhart. Hermione and Neville both wrote back and told him they would meet at Diagon Alley around noon the next day. Harry told Ron and asked Mrs. Weasley if it were possible to meet their friends.

"Yes, dear. I for one would love to meet Mr. and Mrs. Granger," she said with a gleam in her eye.


	3. Chapter 3: Magical Me

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 3: Magical Me**

"Dear, how are we going to pay for all the coursebooks this year and get Ginny her stuff?" Mrs. Weasley whispered to Mr. Weasley.

Harry sat on the bench outside reading when he overheard the adults. He couldn't hear Arthur's response. His conversation with Mrs. Weasley played over in his head as he listened to Ron's mother talk about their finances with her husband. He wondered if Mr. Weasley would be more receptive to using the money provided by the Ministry than his wife had been. A plan developed in his mind as he stared at the Potions book without seeing the words.

Mr. Weasley didn't go to work on Saturday or Sunday unless it was an emergency. Ginny woke up and ran around the house in excitement. Mrs. Weasley took the young girl aside and helped her pick out an outfit to wear to Diagon Alley. Harry pulled Arthur outside to talk about his idea as soon as he was sure Mrs. Weasley wouldn't immediately return.

"Mr. Weasley, I have a proposition for you," Harry said as they walked to the garage where Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia parked in the small building.

"Yes?" Arthur questioned as he opened the garage door. "Decided to take up a position in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office?" he asked with a chuckle. "You'd do well with all your knowledge."

"Uh, no, thank you for the compliment though, Mr. Weasley. I wanted to talk to you about paying for magic lessons," Harry said with a smirk

The middle-aged wizard turned with a frown. "Magic lessons? What for?" Mr. Weasley asked and scratched at the bald spot on the crown of his head.

"To pay you, sir, for magic lessons on say the Extension Charm, like you're doing for the car. I could say, pay you what the Ministry is sending for me to stay with you," Harry hedged and smiled.

It took Arthur a moment to understand what Harry was asking. His face darkened. "Harry, we don't need that money. Family is more important than," Mr. Weasley started to say but Harry cut him off.

"You don't need the money but I need the magical education on harder spells, Mr. Weasley. This is a win-win situation. I get to learn what I want to know while Mrs. Weasley gets to splurge on her only daughter. Maybe buy Ron a better wand without the unicorn hairs sticking out. Get Percy something to really show how proud I know both of you are of him. Say, oh, you won an inner-office betting pool that Mundungus managed to get himself caught, again," Harry tempted with a shrug.

"Harry, we're talking almost a hundred Galleons a month. You realize the money is so they can collect information on you, right?" Mr. Weasley said in an unusually gruff voice for the soft-spoken man.

"Then give them the information you want to give. War is about misinformation and misdirection as much as it is about hiding the truth. There is no reason we should say no to free money," Harry answered and stared Mr. Weasley in the eye.

"This isn't a war, Harry," Arthur scolded but his eyes narrowed.

"It is if they are bribing my guardians to spy on me. I'm not angry, I know Tom told people I was staying at the Leaky Cauldron for bribes as well. Maria told me as much in her last letter."

"That is still a lot of money," Mr. Weasley sighed.

"My magical education is worth almost any price. I want to be independent as soon as possible. Learning how to survive on my own is one of my primary goals at Hogwarts. I love everything to do with magic, but gaining my independence is more important by far," Harry answered as honestly as he could. As soon as he was of age, he would find or make a home for himself. He hated jumping around and being shuffled off to new guardians and new situations every few years. Hogwarts was the best thing to ever happen to him, but he knew the wizarding world wasn't safe.

"All right, if you think it's best. There is only a little time before school starts, but on the weekends, we'll work on the enchantments you want to learn," Mr. Weasley conceded with a small smile.

"Yes!" Harry shouted and pumped his fist. "I need to draw a little more money out of my vault. We can get the money out of the Ministry one. Just play it off if Mrs. Weasley gets suspicious," Harry said with a smile.

"Harry, I've been married longer than you've been alive. Molly has long since trained me to tell her what she wants to hear," Mr. Weasley said with a chuckle and shot Harry a wry smile. "Come, I believe you want to see more of the Extension Charm."

Harry stood with the Weasley family by the living room fireplace. It was the largest fireplace in the house and the one Mr. Weasley used to go to work from. "You've never used the Floo, Harry. I know you've seen Arthur use the Floo before, but I'll give you a quick recap. Speak clearly when you say Diagon Alley and make sure you get out at the correct grate."

"I've got this, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said with a laugh. He struggled not to roll his eyes. Taking a pinch of the green powder, he threw it into the flames of the small fire. The flames turned green and he stepped into the flames. He struggled to keep his revulsion down as he felt the warm breeze of the fire brush across his skin. "Diagon Alley," he said in a firm voice and felt himself being hurtled backward. A loud roaring in his ears made them hurt as he struggled to keep his eyes open. His glasses were in danger of falling off as he saw glimpses of rooms beyond many fireplaces in the dark. A moment later, he fell out of a fireplace in an alley. Witches and wizards stepped out of marble fireplaces all along the long alley.

Ron appeared a moment later behind Harry. "Might want to move, Dad is coming next and he is never stable going through the Floo," he warned and pushed Harry in the back.

Arthur fell out of the fireplace, much like Harry did moments before. "Sometimes I trip on the way over," the middle-aged wizard said with a blush.

Harry waited as the Weasleys all appeared out of fireplaces along the alley. "Can we get my wand, mum?!" Ginny squealed as she ran over to Mrs. Weasley.

"Not yet, dear. You need robes first. Arthur, you mentioned going to Gringotts first?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she put an arm around Ginny.

"Harry needs to stop by his vault and I've got to pull a little money out of ours. Boys, I'm guessing you want to go to Zonko's?"

The twins grinned and nodded while Percy rolled his eyes. "I'd like to look at getting an owl," Percy said and puffed out his chest.

"How about everyone go with Molly to Tremaine's Robes and by the time we're done at Gringotts everyone will have their robes ready," Mr. Weasley suggested.

"That sounds lovely," Mrs. Weasley answered with a smile. "You boys can do what you'd like _after_ all the essentials are done. Within reason," she said, looking at the twins. "I'll lock you in your room if you try and go into Knockturn Alley again."

"We wouldn't dream of it, mum," the twins chorused with innocent faces.

Harry tried not to laugh as he followed Mr. Weasley into the throng of people. He knew the twins were planning on sneaking away to Knockturn Alley to find a bookstore that sold foreign books they could find joke inspiration from. Flourish and Blotts was heavily censored by the Ministry of Magic. Harry spotted a familiar figure talking to her parents in the atrium of Gringotts.

"That's Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Harry said as he pointed to Hermione and her parents.

"But you're _Muggles_!" Mr. Weasley greeted as he shook hands with Mr. Granger. "We must have a drink! You're exchanging Muggle money! I'd love to see how this works."

Harry gave Mr. Granger a strained smile as he half-hugged Hermione. Mrs. Granger looked like an older version of Hermione except without the large front teeth. Her bushy-brown hair was combed straight and she wore a smart business suit. Mr. Granger's neck stooped forward a little as he pointed to the little pamphlet in his hand and talked to Mr. Weasley.

They waited in the small line as Harry talked to Hermione. "Excited to go back to Hogwarts?"

"Oh, yes. I can't wait to see who assigned us Lockhart's books! I've read he is a really powerful wizard!" Hermione gushed and smiled.

Harry smiled and laughed. "Mrs. Weasley has a book by him. I think it was called Lockhart's Guide to Household Pets or something," he mused and shrugged. "Anyway, Mrs. Weasley loves his work and reads from the book whenever she can."

"Oh! I must get that book too. It's our turn, Harry," Hermione said with a laugh.

When it was Harry and Mr. Weasley's turn the goblin asked for Harry's key. "I'm sorry, I don't have my key with me. Is it possible to make another one?" Harry asked as he looked at Mr. Weasley.

"We require you to prove who you are. Tokhack," the aged goblin called and waved his small hand.

A squat goblin in a red and gold uniform appeared a moment later. "Follow me, Mr. Potter," the goblin ordered in a deep voice.

"Mr. Weasley, we will discuss your vault while we wait," the goblin behind the counter said as he put a large tome down in front of him.

Tokhack led Harry through a door behind the counters into a long hallway with offices on both sides. The goblin stopped at the seventh office on the left and opened the door. "Gornac, another wizard for key services."

A shriveled old goblin sat behind a long table with a large hand-crank machine in front of him. Thousands of glittering keys were arranged on tiny hooks on the wall behind him. "Have a seat young wizard, have you lost your key before?" Gornac asked as he peered at Harry through jewelers' glasses. Five little lenses stuck out from the side of the glasses on narrow wires of metal.

"I believe Albus Dumbledore has my key, but he is not with me and I need to get into my vault," Harry answered as he peered around the small office. Keys of every shape and size were arrayed along the walls.

"You have full access to your vault?" the goblin questioned and stood from his small stool. He ambled over to a disk-shaped instrument with a long, thin needle in the middle.

"I believe so, yes," Harry answered with a frown. He watched the goblin pick up the disk and place it on the desk near Harry.

"A Blood Test and Purity ritual is needed then," Gornac wheezed and pointed to the needle. "Prick your finger and let your blood fall into the disk. My gold and axe you and yours will not be harmed by this ritual."

"Gold and axe?" Harry muttered and tried to remember what he'd learned in History of Magic. "Thank you for your oath, Gornac," he said and pricked his finger. The pad of his middle finger felt nothing as blood welled up and slid down the long needle.

"Good, a moment," the goblin praised as he pulled the needle out of the disk. Harry saw his blood at the base of the needle. Gornac wiggled his fingers for three minutes and chanted in a guttural language. He sat the disk down on the desk and pulled out a parchment. "Your blood always tells the truth."

Gornac drew a black quill from a drawer and dipped it in the hole where the needle was. The quill rose in the air and began to write on the parchment without assistance from the goblin. "Blood can be used in the highest and darkest forms of your wizard magic. We goblins use blood to perform rituals and our most sacred magics. Humans deny us the use of a wand, but those of us who are strong enough can use magic without the assistance of a wand."

The black quill finished writing and fell on the desk, the magic animating the quill having stopped. "You would have a great future in a goblin clan if you were born a goblin. Five vaults to your name, a powerful number of prosperity. You have not reached human maturity so one vault is inaccessible to you without your guardian. Harry Potter, you will have access to your Ancestral Vault, 301, of the Potter lineage when you reach the age of seventeen. Until then, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore has full rights. You have full rights to Vault 956 set aside for Petunia Evans Dursley, transferred after the death of Lilly Evans Potter. You have full rights to Vault 957 set aside for Harry Potter's Tuition and Magical Learning created by James Potter. A joint vault, Vault 1688, created by a Ministry of Magic Representative Lucius Malfoy gives you and a one Arthur Weasley full rights. Finally, you have no access to the Ancestral Vault of Dumbledore."

Gornac passed the parchment to Harry. "Could I get keys to all the vaults I have access to?" Harry questioned as he read the last line of the parchment.

"It would cost you twenty Galleons per key," the goblin said with a feral grin.

"Ah, I see," Harry muttered and drummed his fingers on the top of the table. "Is there a way to see how much is in each of these vaults?"

"For that, you would need to visit the records office. Shall I have someone escort you?" Gornac questioned, his voice had a hard edge to it.

"I would like keys to vaults 301, 957 and 1688, please," Harry said with a smile. He had the feeling the goblin was angry.

Gornac's smile returned and he nodded. "Three keys and five vaults," the goblin murmured and sat behind the machine again. He took a golden key blank off the wall and slid it into the machine in front of him. The goblin chanted in his harsh, guttural language as he shaped the key blank. A gout of fire erupted from Gornac's fingers and scorched the sparkling key. He took the completed key off the metal press and placed it in front of Harry.

"Amazing," Harry muttered as he picked up the warm golden key. He traced his finger over the three large loops with a "G" in the middle for the crest. The emblem was at the end of a long, slim and hollow cylindrical tube that ended in twenty small randomly sized golden teeth. Gornac produced two more similar keys with different teeth arrangements. Harry was about to ask which key was which when he realized tiny numbers were engraved in the curve of the "G".

"Thank you," Harry said and handed over the Galleons. His smile dropped a little when the goblin told him the sixty Galleon charge for the ritual. He paid the goblin with a grimace and left the office. Mr. Weasley was talking to Mr. and Mrs. Granger in an excited expression as they sat on small chairs by the side of the main hall.

"Harry, have you got everything?" Mr. Weasley said with a grin. "I've already been down to the Weasley vault."

"I did, you can catch up with the others while I run down to the vaults, Mr. Weasley," Harry said with a grin.

"Oh, no, I'm sure Mr. Weasley would enjoy your company," Mrs. Granger said with a strained smile. Harry realized how tense Mr. and Mrs. Granger were.

"True, I do need to bother you a little longer, Mr. Weasley," Harry apologized with a small smile.

The hair-raising ride through the mines was a blast with Mr. Weasley. Harry and the middle-aged wizard screamed and threw their hands in the air as they plummeted lower and lower into the mines. The goblin, Kackral, gave them disapproving looks. He emptied the Ministry provided vault into a bag that he gave to Arthur. By a quick count, Harry figured there were five hundred or so Galleons in the vault. He and Mr. Weasley took another wild ride to the Trust Fund vault where he realized there had to be thousands of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts stored for school. It had a considerably less amount of money than the Potter vault, but it still awed him how rich his parents were.

Mr. Weasley left Gringotts with a spring in his step as he made his way to the second-hand robes shop. Mrs. Weasley and the bored children sat on stools while Ginny tried on her seventh outfit and robe combination. Harry grinned and took a seat by Ron. He heard Arthur talking to his wife in a low voice with a wide grin. Mrs. Weasley's eyes narrowed as she looked between her husband and Harry for a moment. She sighed and gave Mr. Weasley a strained smile as she patted his forearm and congratulated him in a louder voice for winning the inner-office betting pool.

Harry coughed into his hand to hide his smile. He didn't think Mrs. Weasley believed her husband. Ron received ten Galleons from Mr. Weasley before they left the shop. Harry's friend whooped for joy and started to run for the broomstick shop. Harry pulled him aside and recommended getting a new wand to Ron.

"I can get a wand later, mate! I could get the official Chudley Cannons flying gear for nearly eight Galleons," Ron argued and pulled away. Harry shrugged and followed. The twins each got ten Galleons to splurge on and Percy got forty for his amazing O.W.L. marks. Ginny beamed as Mrs. Weasley promised to buy her new school supplies.

Harry followed Ron for a bit before breaking off to find a new trunk. He'd realized how short-sighted he was the previous year when he bought a standard trunk. His was getting close to being filled with books and a random assortment of items and junk. He'd lost count of how many jars of potion ingredients he had or the number of vials of potions he'd brewed. Four hundred Galleons poorer later, he rolled a sturdy, polished walnut trunk in front of him. It wasn't the most expensive trunk in the shop, but it did have most of the features Mr. Donalds offered.

"Harry, there you are," Hermione called as she sat at a table with Ron and Neville in front of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.

Harry took a seat beside Neville. "Hey Neville, how has your summer been?" he asked and grinned at the round-faced boy. Neville looked to have been out in the sun a lot over the summer.

"Brilliant, Harry! My greenhouse is done and I've got a few plants already," Neville blurted out with a huge grin. He told them all about the plants he had and wanted to get while he was at Diagon Alley. Augusta Longbottom, a formidable-looking witch, appeared in the crowd and called to Neville. Harry watched as the aged tall, thin and bony witch strode over to her grandson with a wan smile.

"Neville, you have an appointment at Twilfitt and Tatting's shop in ten minutes. Move your behind," Mrs. Longbottom ordered in a stern voice. Neville wilted and apologized before going off with his grandmother.

"You got a new trunk?" Hermione asked after everyone waved Neville off.

"Yeah, mine was getting cramped," Harry said with a laugh.

"Cramped? Is that what you call having to sit on your trunk to get it closed?" Ron questioned with a smirk.

"Okay, more than cramped," Harry laughed and sat back. "Want my old one?" he asked as he turned to Ron.

"Can I? It's loads bigger than mine," Ron answered with a hopeful expression.

"Sure, mate. You get the stuff you wanted?"

"No, they were sold out of the Chudley Cannons version. They only had Puddlemere United and the Wallongong Warriors ones. Shame."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. "I'm going to the second-hand shop to get a spare cauldron like yours, Harry. I've decided you will not beat me in Potions this year," she challenged with a grin.

"Keep dreaming," Harry challenged back with a laugh. He hadn't told his bushy-haired friend how much he'd been studying and practicing.

Ron groaned and rolled his eyes. After they finished their ice cream, Hermione led the way to the second-hand shop. Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley were shopping for cheap supplies. Harry noticed a lot of new items in Ginny's polished cauldron. He was glad Mr. Weasley was able to splurge on his family.

About ten minutes passed as Harry shopped with the Weasley's and Hermione when a silky voice called out from behind them. "Ah, if it isn't Arthur Weasley," Lucius Malfoy drawled with a sneer.

"Lucius," Mr. Weasley greeted with a strained smile.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," Mr. Malfoy said and sneered as he looked over Mr. Weasley's family. "All those raids… I hope they're paying your overtime? You certainly don't need it after taking the money the Ministry provided." Lucius gave a hollow cough as he looked around the shop. "Obviously, Galleons can't change a Blood-traitor's mindset. Disgraceful."

"We have very different ideas of what is disgraceful, Death Eater," Mr. Weasley growled, his fists clenching.

"Alleged. Clearly, our ideals differ. I did not serve the Dark Lord… willingly," Lucius answered with a sneer. "The company you keep, Weasley… and I thought your family could sink no lower."

Mr. Weasley was about to hit with his fist Mr. Malfoy when Mr. Granger grabbed Mr. Weasley's shoulder. "This is the so-called Blood-purists?" he asked his daughter. "Scum."

"I'll not have a Muggle tell me what is scum!" Lucius raged and drew his wand.

"I will take you in myself if you so much as cast a spell, Malfoy," a stern voice called from the shadows. "That goes for you too, Arthur," the wizard said as he stepped into the light.

A tall, pinched faced wizard with two large scars on his face and neck glared at Lucius. His wand was drawn and a red light emanated from its tip. "Give me a reason," he growled. "I haven't forgotten last month's raid."

Lucius snorted and put his wand away. "The hero, Savage, here to save the day again," he sneered with a hollow laugh. "This trash isn't worth the use of my wand," Lucius said as he turned to leave the shop.

Harry watched with narrowed eyes as a very short, bat-like eared figure in a dirty pillowcase ducked behind a shelving unit. He couldn't be sure, but he was almost positive it was Dobby. His eyes followed the retreating figure of Malfoy until he was lost in the crowd.

"Thank you, Savage," Mr. Weasley greeted. "I almost lost my temper."

"A terrible price it would have cost you. Lucius is on a roll with getting people sacked he dislikes. Molly, sorry you had to see that," Savage apologized with a small bow. His medium-length hair flopped to one side revealing a long, jagged scar hidden in his hair.

The mood was somber as the Weasleys and Grangers finished shopping and paid for their purchases. "Off to Flourish and Blotts, I heard Gilderoy Lockhart was doing a signing session in an hour," Mrs. Weasley said in a breathless voice. Mr. Weasley gave her a strained smile.

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean he's written almost the whole book-list!"

Harry groaned and followed behind the others. He kept playing the confrontation with Mr. Malfoy over in his head as he mulled over what he knew about the money the Ministry gave him. The more he thought it over, the more he suspected a connection between Dobby and Lucius. Flourish and Blotts was packed as everyone pushed their way into the large shop. Harry spotted a few older students as they shopped with their parents. Most of the patrons in the shop were witches with excited expressions on their faces. Hermione's face, in particular, glowed as she picked up every copy of Gilderoy Lockhart's books.

"I just want to get a few books," Harry complained and squeezed his way through the crowd to the back corner of the bookstore. He picked out two books on dueling, the rest of The Standard Book of Spells books two through seven, and all the required Gilderoy Lockhart books before fighting his way back toward the front of the store. Hermione talked excitedly to Mrs. Weasley about Lockhart's accomplishments.

A handsome wizard with wavy blonde hair and straight, shiny teeth appeared in the crowd. The surrounding witches screamed in excitement as he flashed them a dazzling smile. Harry felt like retching as one witch professed her love to the foppish wizard. Lockhart winked at the witch as he walked to a long table with a pile of his books displayed on the front. "Can everyone hear me?" he asked.

The shop exploded in cheers and affirmatives. "Good! Good! Welcome to my little book-signing. If you'll form a line, we can begin," Lockhart suggested and beamed at the gathered crowd.

Harry rolled his eyes as he spotted Mrs. Weasley and Hermione jumping into the line.

"Potter, come to fan-boy after Gilderoy?" a drawling voice asked.

Harry tensed and turned around. Draco Malfoy and his mother were standing by the door. "I've come to get my school books, Malfoy," Harry answered with a shrug. He hated the fact the books in his hand prevented him from getting to his wand.

"A likely story," Draco said with a sneer.

"Ah, so you really are here for the fop's book-signing then?" Harry shot back with a grin.

Draco's face contorted with rage as she sneered at Harry. "Blood-traitor," he growled and stepped forward.

"Now, Draco, I'm sure Mr. Potter didn't mean that," Mrs. Malfoy said with a cool smile.

The smile gave Harry the feeling of being stared at by a predator. "I did, Mrs. Malfoy. I must say, what lovely tatters you're wearing. They go well with your husband's moral character," Harry said with a grin.

Mrs. Malfoy's face contorted into a mask of rage. Draco yelled and charged at Harry, his fist cocked back. Expecting the attack, Harry dodged to the left and let his books fall on Draco's foot. "_Ahh_!" Draco screamed and fell to the ground, clutching his foot.

"Sorry," Harry said and tried not to laugh as he held _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 7)_ in his hands. "Are you, okay?" he asked as a witch and wizard nearby smirked at Harry. Mrs. Malfoy hissed at Harry and shoved him aside to get to her son.

"Is that Harry Potter?" a charming voice called through the store.

The hair on Harry's neck stood on end as he looked up to see the shining eyes of Gilderoy Lockhart grinning at him from across the room. He couldn't get away fast enough before a rough hand seized his shoulder and half dragged him toward Lockhart. "This will make for a great shot for the Prophet," a deep voice laughed as he pushed Harry toward the long table.

"Harry, it is! Welcome, welcome! Come to see me? Excellent! Here take a photo to memorialize this grand meeting!" Gilderoy said with a wide, sparkling smile.

A camera flashed off to one side. "Get off me," Harry ordered but Gilderoy kept holding onto his shoulder, drawing him in closer.

"I would like to take this moment to announce my recent appointment at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You'll have to wait to see which position Albus Dumbledore asked me to take," Lockhart boasted with a large grin.

Harry tried to calm his rage as he took pictures with the revolting wizard. He managed to get away, claiming he needed to get his books to be signed. The Malfoys were gone and his books had been picked up by a harassed looking shop assistant. "Those are mine, sorry for the trouble," Harry said as he tried to take the books back.

"No, some blonde boy dropped them on his foot. They haven't been paid for!" the assistant screeched and clutched them to his chest. "Look the edges are bent!"

Harry sighed and picked up an updated list of Flourish and Blott's owl-service before leaving the crowded shop. He sat outside on the top of his trunk and glowered at the bookstore. Ron appeared a few minutes later and stood by Harry.

"You should have seen your face, mate. I thought you were going to punch Lockhart in the teeth," Ron said with a laugh.

"I was close to doing just that," Harry admitted with a sigh. "I couldn't even get my _books_!"

"What a dreadful thing," Ron drawled and laugh. "Let's go to the apothecary. The list said we needed more ingredients this year."

Harry grinned and pushed his trunk along with Ron to the closest apothecary. They shopped for a little bit. Harry picked up an expensive, high-end scale for measuring and more vials for his potions. "You know what, bugger it, what broom do you want to get to try out for the team on?" Harry asked as they walked back toward Flourish and Blotts.

"What? Oh, if I could choose, then…" Ron mused as he trailed off. He stumbled over his own feet and continued to mutter to himself. "The Nimbus 2001 is the one I want the most, but maybe mum would let me get a Cleansweep Seven with the money dad won."

"Forget that, come on," Harry said and dragged Ron toward Broomstix, a shop specializing in selling broomsticks.

Ron's jaw dropped as Harry purchased two Nimbus 2001s and hid them in one of the four compartments of his new trunk. He spun the dial on the front and opened the largest compartment to hide his and Ron's new broomsticks. "An early Christmas or birthday present. Or late birthday one, I forgot when it was again, sorry," Harry said with a laugh to Ron's stunned expression.

"_Mate_, you're the best!" Ron yelled and hugged Harry.

"Oi! Paws off me you dirty weasel," Harry joked and pushed his excited friend off him.

"Sorry, _bloody hell_, Harry… that was expensive," Ron stuttered and stared longingly at Harry's trunk.

"Yes and no," Harry admitted with a shrug. The two brooms together hadn't cost as much as his trunk did.

"Hermione! Can you do me a huge favor and grab these books for me?" Harry asked and passed her a list of books off the owl-service sheet. "I don't want to stand for more pictures, please."

"Oh? Dueling, that sounds interesting. You checked off next year's spell book too? That's smart!" Hermione said as she read over the list. "By the way, Mrs. Weasley is going mad looking for Fred and George."

Harry winced and hoped the twins hadn't got caught somewhere in Knockturn Alley. "They are probably still at one of the joke shops," he said with a laugh.

"Humm," Hermione hummed and continued to read his list. "I might pick a few of these up too."

Harry grinned and waited while Hermione went back inside with Mrs. Granger. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Granger had gone off to the Leaky Cauldron to talk about Muggle objects and living without magic. He hoped Arthur wouldn't make a bad impression despite his obvious good intentions and enthusiasm for the strange way of life. Harry left out the other spell book grades so it wouldn't tip Hermione off about his plan for the new term. He'd been practicing changing the cover of one book into another.

"Here you go, Harry," Hermione said, carrying a teetering stack of books in her arms.

Harry was impressed by his friend's strength and wondered if she carried several books at a time around her house for fun. "Thanks!" he said and put the books in his trunk.

"That is really cool! Multiple Extension Charms and Vanishing Charms for each compartment I think," Hermione gasped as she spun the knob on the front of the trunk and opened it a few times.

Harry stopped her before she found the brooms hidden in the last compartment. "It cost me, but I think it will be worth it!"

"Everyone is headed to the Leaky Cauldron for dinner," Percy said as he appeared beside Hermione. The older boy had a small brown owl in a cage under one arm. "Meet Gamp," he said and pointed at his owl.

"Like the first Minister of Magic?" Harry asked as he looked into the brown eyes of the owl.

Percy coughed and muttered something under his breath. He turned and walked toward the tavern without looking back. "I think that's why he named his owl that. He wants to be Minister of Magic one day," Ron said with a laugh.

"Don't laugh, Ron. It is a wonderful ambition," Hermione scolded but Harry saw a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

"Uh, Hermione," Harry said as he flipped open a book at the table a little later. Mr. Weasley was telling a long-winded joke about three Hags entering a pub at the other end of the table. Fred and George turned up with a pile of joke shop items. They shot Harry the all-clear sign, making him giddy with excitement. He tried to work off his excitement by looking through his books.

"Yes?" Hermione said, turning away from her conversation with Ginny. The youngest Weasley was playing with her new wand and attempting a Mending Charm under the table.

"Why is the signature of Gilderoy Lockhart on the inside cover of all of my books?" Harry asked, staring his friend in the eye.

Hermione turned pink and muttered something under her breath. "Sorry," she stammered and quickly went back to her conversation with Ginny. She turned her back to Harry but he could see the tips of her red ears.

"It was nice to meet you," Harry said to Mr. and Mrs. Granger as everyone got ready to leave for the day. "Hermione is a wonderful friend."

Mrs. Granger gave Harry a strong hug and whispered, "thank you for looking after our little girl. She didn't tell us what happened but Molly did. Thank you."

Harry froze and winced as he half-hugged the adult back. "She is my friend," he answered in a low voice and pulled away from the embrace. Mr. Granger gave him a firm handshake and a brief smile. Hermione gave him, Ron, and Ginny all hugs before leaving with her parents.

"Back to the Burrow," Mrs. Weasley announced as they made their way through Diagon Alley toward the alley with the fireplaces. Bright street lamps lit the wide street and witches and wizards still shopped as night fell.

"Harry, just drag your trunk through the fire. You know our living room, dear," Mrs. Weasley called and disappeared into the green flames.

Harry went last after stuffing one compartment full of everyone's purchases from the day. It made it easier to transport it and Mr. Weasley claimed strange things happened in the Floo Network if wizards accidentally dropped items while they traveled. Harry stepped into the green flames and was catapulted, holding his trunk tight in his hand, through the darkness again. He landed a minute later in the Weasley's living room and stumbled. Fred and George caught him by his shoulders and set him to rights.

"All right, Harry?" they questioned, looking him over.

"I'll get used to it," Harry muttered as he glared at the green flames. The green flames dimmed after a few seconds only to be replaced by the usual red of fire.

"Meet you later," one twin whispered as they helped Harry carry his new trunk up to Bill and Charlie's room.

"Can't wait," Harry shot back with a grin.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley retired early that night and had to take Ginny's wand away after she'd been caught casting a Mending Charm on a vase she intentionally broke. The twins looked proud while Percy shook his head and went to bed as well. Ron wanted to try out their new brooms, but Harry talked him into sneaking them out around lunch the next day when Mrs. Weasley planned to do the laundry.

"What did you guys find?" Harry asked as he closed the door behind him. Fred and George wore identical smiles as they pulled three books out from under their wardrobe.

"Two translated books from Russia and one from Africa," one twin said and laughed.

"George almost talked the owner into selling us a banned book, but the old wizard got spooked by a fight outside the shop. We looked over one of the Russian ones and agree it wouldn't be wise to show mum," Fred said and pointed to a book with a tall, ferocious-looking woman holding a black wand in a gnarled hand with one missing finger.

"We aren't sure this one, in particular, is best suited for our needs. One spell seems to hoist a person in the air by wrenching their arms backward and locking their wrists together. The translator mentions the target may have dislocated or broken shoulders and or wrists if hit with the spell," George said with a shake of his head.

"The second book is more what we wanted and the last one from Uagadou School of Magic is perfect for our needs. I think the African book deals more with pranking Muggles but it's the ideas we want and not the spells. Those we can discover if need be," Fred said with a laugh.

"Want me to hide the book you don't want?" Harry offered. "The lock on my new trunk is supposed to be pretty good and hard to crack."

"Sure, we've looked through it already. It might be worth a Galleon or two but it's too much trouble if mum catches us with it," George answered with a shrug.

"Heard you got into it with Draco," Fred said with a grin. "Ron told us you dropped about ten books on his foot."

"That's a spell we could make! Dropping books on someone's foot," Harry said with a laugh. "He caught me off-guard and I insulted is mum and daddy," he said as he imitated Draco's drawl.

"Don't do that," George said with a shudder.

"It's bloody creepy," Fred finished and rubbed his forearms. "I'm breaking out into goosebumps."

Harry laughed and talked with the twins for a while. He took the book back to his room and hid it at the bottom of his pile of books in his trunk. His old trunk lay open from where he'd started to sort and organize everything. With a wide grin, he picked up the stack of Flourish and Blotts owl-service sheets and filled one out. He felt jittery and excited for the new year at Hogwarts that would start in a few short weeks.

Harry woke early the next morning covered in sweat from his night terror. Quirrellmort, his favorite name to call the ex-professor during his frequent nightmares, chased him through the Burrow, trying to kill him and all the Weasleys. He was powerless to stop the Dark Lord from killing the entire Weasley family before he was caught. He awoke when a flash of green light hit him in the chest.

Harry got out of bed and grimaced at the sweat-soaked sheets. He grabbed a clean change of clothes from his trunk and went to the bathroom. The hot, steaming water hit his skin but he barely felt the scalding water. He watched as his skin turned red and sighed. The light scar lines on his body stood out against his pink skin.

He was toweling off after his shower when he heard the door open behind him. "Oi Perce, gotta use the loo," one of the twins said before stopping short with a horrified look on his face. "Sorry, Harry," he mumbled, his eyes locked on the large burn scarring on his left shoulder.

Harry jumped, startled, and covered up his back with the towel. Nudity never bothered him at Providence but now he wouldn't shower with anyone nearby if he could help it. He'd forgotten to cast the Smokescreen Charm before showering while he was at the Burrow.

"Blimey," the twin breathed before closing the door behind him. "Sorry about that, Harry," a muffled voice called through the door.

It took him several minutes to calm down as he sat on the toilet in the little bathroom. He stayed in his room and read to distract his racing thoughts and tried to ignore Ron when he wanted to go outside to the orchard. Harry sighed and pulled out the two brooms from his trunk before joining Ron.

The Nimbus 2001 was a dream to fly. It cut through the air at break-neck speeds and turned with ease. Harry grew more comfortable with the broom and tried more complicated and dangerous maneuvers.

"_What broom is that_!" the twins yelled in unison as they took to the air on the older brooms.

"_Nimbus 2001!_" Ron yelled with a huge grin. He stroked the polished handle with a manic gleam in his eye. "The Seeker position is mine!"

Harry laughed and hovered by the twins. "I splurged a little," he said with a shrug. "Ron's got a good shot at getting on the team as a Seeker now."

"Not if you fly like that, Harry," George said in a low voice.

"Even Charlie might not have tried that dive and come out so well," Fred agreed with a glance at Ron.

"Really? I wobbled some as I pulled out of the dive, but I think I could do it better and get closer to the ground," Harry frowned and spun his broom around with a quick jerk. The twins narrowed their eyes at Harry.

"Nah, we're wrong," the twins chorused with a laugh.

"Tryout with Ron," George coaxed with a wide grin.

"It'll give him someone to beat," Fred finished with a wink.

Harry rolled his eyes and noticed the twins had identical smirks. While he loved flying, he wasn't interested in playing Quidditch for the Gryffindor team. Ron looped around them hovering in the air before coming to a stop in front of them. "This is wicked!" he gasped and did another loop for emphasis.

"Want a go?" Harry asked Fred and George.

"Merlin's pant's, yes!" they chorused. "We thought you'd never offer!"

Harry lay on the grass and felt the cool breeze brush across his face as he watched the Weasleys fly around on the broomsticks. He spotted Ginny across the orchard, her eyes locked on her brothers flying overhead. She blushed when she realized Harry spotted her and ducked behind the tree.

Ron did his exercises with vigor as he stared lovingly at his new broom. Harry laughed and did his exercises at a more subdued pace. Fred and George took turns on Harry's broom as the morning turned into mid-day. Ginny appeared again and called everyone in for lunch. Harry felt a lead weight sink to the bottom of his stomach as he trudged along behind the Weasleys. They locked the new brooms in the outhouse, knowing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wouldn't look in there, before going into the kitchen for lunch.

Mrs. Weasley was polite to Harry. She didn't talk much as she fed the children at her table but Harry could feel her eyes on him from time to time. It felt like a hot, itching sensation that crawled over his numb and scarred skin. He knew she either knew or suspected he was the reason Arthur suddenly got a lot of money. Ron took a nap for the first time in weeks since starting the Quidditch exercises and Harry was thankful for it.

It took a few days before his strained relationship with Mrs. Weasley returned to an uncomfortable normal. During that time, he used the excuse of reading his coursebooks to hide away in his room. Ron was a little upset with him, but his new broom occupied his interest. Mrs. Weasley found out about the new brooms when she visited the boys at the orchard. She didn't thank Harry for buying Ron the broom, but he did have two of his favorite desserts for dinner that night.

Harry was up late one night and spotted Ginny in the kitchen playing with her wand. He wasn't sure how she'd got her wand again, as Mrs. Weasley had taken it from the excited girl that morning. Ginny murmured under her breath and pointed her wand at a sheet of parchment on the table. Nothing happened. Frustrated, she tried again.

"_Incendio!_" Ginny cried and narrowed her eyes at the parchment. The parchment burst into flames and so did half of the table. She gasped and jumped back as the flames licked at her hand.

"Glacius," Harry said in a calm voice as he stepped from the shadows in the hallway.

Ginny jumped and slapped her hand over her mouth to cover a scream. She stared, wide-eyed at Harry as a blue spell hit the table. The fire snuffed out in a blast of icy-cold air.

"Reparo," Harry said and mended the burn marks on the table. "That is a dangerous spell to cast alone near wood," he told Ginny with a wry grin. "I would recommend testing your Fire-Making Spell on stone."

"Th-thanks, Harry," Ginny stammered and looked between his wand and the table.

Harry watched Ginny return to her room and close the door. He noticed a figure watching from outside the kitchen window. His back prickled as he turned to return to bed. He suspected Mrs. Weasley was watching her youngest child to make sure nothing went wrong with her experimentation.

Arthur stayed true to his word and tutored Harry on performing the Extension Charm with a stern warning of how complicated the spell was and how it was regulated by the Ministry. Harry told the excited middle-aged wizard all the parts he knew in the car from his limited experience from the cadets in Providence's Automotive Class. Mr. Weasley soaked up all the knowledge he could about his favorite subject, Muggles.

"You can't cast the spell now, as it might activate the Trace, but with some preparation, you could attempt it at Hogwarts," Mr. Weasley informed Harry as they walked back up to the house that night. "Tomorrow we'll begin talking about the Disillusionment Charm I have on the car. It was a complicated bit of magic that I don't expect you to be able to pull off yet. Your theory on the Extension Charm is worth looking into when you're older."

"Thanks, Mr. Weasley," Harry replied with a grin. He'd suggested the possibility of nesting the Extension Charm inside itself to create an even larger structure inside a small space.

"It may have been done before, but I don't know enough about the charm to tell you if it's possible," Arthur admitted with a smile. "Hello, Molly! Harry here was telling me about how the piss-titons help power the engine of my car!"

"Pistons, Mr. Weasley," Harry corrected for the umpteenth time.

"Harry why do you have six copies of _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 2)_," Ron asked as he plopped on Bill's bed. He frowned and opened one of the books. He blinked and opened the next book. "Oi! These are different! Joke books?"

"I bought the rest of my coursebooks that I knew about so I could work ahead. Easier to hide in the class if they look like the current coursebook," Harry said with a laugh.

"Mate, you and Hermione are mental. Just follow along with whatever the professors give us. Why would you want to do more work?!" Ron sighed and shook his head.

"Magic is bloody brilliant," Harry answered with a grin. "Learning how magic works is as much fun as casting the spells themselves. Did you know, because we cast the Fire-Making Spell, it is easier to understand and perform other fire-based spells and charms? Understanding the nature of fire, how our magic interacts with it, and how to produce it makes it easier to cast similar spells. The Fire-Writing Charm, Flagrate, is simple once you can cast Incendio."

"That is cool and all, but why would I want to write with fire?" Ron asked, his face scrunched up.

Harry sighed and put his book down. "How is your exercises going?"

"Brilliant! I can do five sets of the basic routine before I get tired."

"That is some amazing improvement in a month or so. Well done, Ron," Harry said and jumped off the bed. He put all the books back in his trunk, careful to keep the books in order. "Just two weeks or so before we go back to Hogwarts. Are you as excited as I am?"

"Mate, that position on the team is mine!" Ron declared as he flexed his arms.


	4. Chapter 4: Another Year

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 4: Another Year**

Time flew by for Harry as he spent every waking moment reading, practicing spells, playing with Ron, eating, or learning from Mr. Weasley. Ginny was excited to go to Hogwarts but her earlier bouts of energy seemed to have been tempered by Mrs. Weasley's constant presence. Harry found it a little hard to breathe around the suffocating witch's presence as she hovered over all of them. He heard her confide in Mr. Weasley late one night how she was worried and couldn't bear the thought of being in the house alone while everyone was at school.

Percy's birthday was on August 22nd so Harry got the older boy a book on career paths of famous wizards in the Ministry of Magic. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley bought their son a new brass cauldron, Rune Charts, and Muggle Studies books for his N.E.W.T. preparation. Harry spent time flying with Hedwig one night after sneaking out of the house. He'd smuggled his broom back into his trunk by flying through Bill and Charlie's open window.

"The Disillusionment Charm inherently doesn't want to be found and is difficult to perform. I'm not proficient enough to make the car disappear for long periods of time," Arthur admitted with a wry smile. "Some of the Hit Wizards and Aurors could hide a wizard under your nose with minimal effort. Kingsley Shacklebolt is one Auror who could do it."

"Is it hard to become an Auror?" Harry asked as he watched Mr. Weasley poke the hood of the car with his wand.

"Very, only with top marks at Hogwarts can you be selected to tryout for an Auror position. Then, if you get accepted, you'll have another three years of specialized training after you graduate as well," Mr. Weasley answered as the hood propped itself up. He peered into the engine block and poked at the timing belt with his wand.

"What will we work on today?" Harry asked as he sat down on the little stool by the car.

"Bewitching Charms," Mr. Weasley said with a grin. "I heard from Ronald that you wanted to bewitch your cards… flash to display different information."

Harry grinned and nodded. "I know the theory from reading, but I haven't had a chance to practice it yet."

"Talk me through your theory," Arthur suggested as he cast spell after spell on the engine.

"The enchanting process would have to start with a variation spell for words. I could do the Copying Spell or a similar spell to copy from a master list but the Composition Charm, like the ones in the Self-Writing Quills, might be a better option. I would cast the Composition Charm multiple times on the parchment and have it activate with the Voicing Charm, like what the mirror in the bathroom has placed on it. When I talk to the mirror, it tells me how much I weigh."

"Interesting approach, continue," Mr. Weasley encouraged as he continued his work.

"Once I get the words to appear and the correct answer, I could tap the card with my wand, like we do in Potions on our cauldrons to finish the potion. The color-changing part might be harder to link with the questions so it might be better to keep all of the questions the same," Harry mused as he talked through his thought process.

"It sounds like you have a good idea of how to achieve your goal. There are two spells that will help you," Mr. Weasley said and stood up. He sat on the edge of the car and drummed his fingers on the metal. "Iungae and Locatiam are two older spells that link, or yoke, charms together and change the position of a spell. Locatiam is used in the office to place the importance of certain Muggle incidents on the top of our inboxes. Iungae I use a lot while bewitching the car. I yoke the Disillusionment Charm over and over to a switch on the dashboard. Without it, the parts would become invisible after casting my spell."

Harry nodded, eager to learn more. "So I could link my writing spell to the voice one and cause it to work at the same time. The positioning spell would make it…" he said before trailing off, trying to figure out how he would use the spell.

"Order, importance, or placing," Mr. Weasley hinted with a grin.

"_Oh_! Each of the questions is like a test. Each question would be one spell and the positioning spell could be activated with my _wand_!" Harry shouted and stood up.

"Easy, Harry. That is indeed one way to go about doing what you want. But, here is the best thing," Mr. Weasley said with a small grin. "Magic is adaptive and changing. I'm not the best wizard to ask the hows and whys of magic but I do know there are many different ways to achieve the same goal with magic."

"Thank you, Mr. Weasley!" Harry said and grinned. He was itching to go inside to start testing out his idea.

"Wait until you get back to Hogwarts, Harry. Molly told me you put out Ginny's fire without thinking. Be very careful, as the Trace is ever-present for underage wizards. My father tutored me before Hogwarts, even though I never listened, but Molly wants the children to learn at their own pace without pressure."

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Harry mumbled.

Harry kept to his word and limited how much he practiced magic in his room. He still used his wand to read by wand-light. Ginny was a nervous wreck the night before they were to leave for Hogwarts. She seemed excited and scared for her first year at the wizarding school. Mrs. Weasley fussed over everyone as she made sure all their clothes were washed and their trunks packed. Ron took Harry's old trunk and lovingly placed his broom on the top of the pile of his belongings. Harry was surprised he didn't wedge the broom between his pillows to keep it safe.

"Everyone out to the car," Mrs. Weasley called through the house with her magically amplified voice.

Harry pulled his trunk down the stairs and heard Ron and Percy doing the same. Fred and George were smart and had their trunks already in the boot of the car. Everyone piled in and had plenty of leg-room to find a comfortable position in the back seat. Harry knew the Muggle Repelling Charm would keep anyone from looking in the magically enlarged interior of the car.

"This is much nicer than those Muggle cab drivers, Arthur," Mrs. Weasley said as she stretched out in the passenger seat. "I was almost afraid all Muggles had to deal with cramped legs during long car rides. Biscuit anyone?" she called as she opened a metal tin.

It was a long trip for Harry who had to keep from looking outside the window. While Mr. Weasley could operate the car, he couldn't drive it with any skill. Harry wondered if the Notice-Me-Not Charm was working too well as even the poor old lady Mr. Weasley cut off didn't honk her horn.

He spent the time talking to Ron about his plans for tryouts in a few weeks. His friend glowed with excitement as he described his detailed plan to remain in shape. Harry had to burst his bubble with one fact.

"Ron we will have five classes now instead of four. You won't be able to use the extra free time to practice," Harry said with a small shrug.

"What? Why not!?" Ron spluttered and looked to Fred and George.

"He's not joking," George said with a laugh.

"Was a right shock for us too," Fred finished with a grin. "We had this plan to prank people for that hour, only to find out we had Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"That's mental," Ron complained.

"Hermione will be on us about homework. Which, by the way, I'm glad you finished. Could you imagine the look on her face," Harry said and imitated his bushy-haired friend's angry face.

"Why do you think I did it, mate" Ron answered with a small shudder.

Mr. Weasley drove into oncoming traffic for a little bit, causing Harry to clench the book in his lap. He noticed cars moved over a lane far up the road.

"Uh, Mr. Weasley, I know how strong the charm is but you're going to cause an accident," Harry hissed to the middle-aged wizard.

"Right you are Harry," Arthur replied and cut back over into the other lane. A car slammed on their breaks as Mr. Weasley forced a hole for himself by magic.

"You all right, mate? You look awfully pale," George asked Harry with a smirk.

They were later arriving than they wanted because of London traffic so Mrs. Weasley took charge with practiced efficiency. "Boys, get your trunks out and help your sister with hers. Dear, you and Percy grab the trolleys."

Five minutes later, the entire group was led through the crowd by Mrs. Weasley's complaints about slow-moving Muggles. Passing families glared and muttered in the group's wake as Mrs. Weasley forced her way through the crowd. They made it to their platform in record time. A family crowded around a small boy with a large camera. Harry watched as the family went through the barrier with Muggles walking on either side of the barrier.

"Come, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley called and helped the young girl run through the barrier.

Percy, Fred, and George all went next with Mr. Weasley. Harry and Ron ran at the barrier a moment later. They crashed into the brick wall, causing Hedwig to screech as her cage fell off Harry's trunk. Harry's hand and foot hurt from where the trolley's handle bent and one of the wheels rolled over his foot

"Are we too late?" Ron asked as he helped Harry settle Hedwig.

"No idea," Harry muttered and pressed his hand against the brick wall. It didn't pass through but he didn't feel the rough texture of the brick.

"We've missed the train!" Ron cried as he pointed to a clock near the barrier.

"I'll send Hedwig to let the school know," Harry said and pushed his wobbling trolley towards the exit. "Let's go back to the car."

"Harry, you're brilliant! The car!" Ron yelled as he grabbed Harry's arm. "Dad mentioned the car could fly! We could take it to Hogwarts."

"Mate, I watched him renew those spells and even he was dubious about how long it could fly for. We could wait for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley at the car though."

Harry led them back to the car, leaving their trunks on the trolleys. Harry wrote a message to Professor McGonagall and tied it to Hedwig's foot. "Try to fly fast," he coaxed and fed her a biscuit.

Hedwig took off as a young girl gasped and waved to the owl disappearing into the morning. Her luminous, blue eyes blinked at Harry as she was pulled along by a haggard adult woman. Harry waved to the little girl who giggled at him and waved back.

"We could just take the car. Look, Dad left the keys," Ron tempted and jangled the keys in front of Harry.

"No way, mate. We wait for Hedwig or your parents. You think you or I could drive out of here without being seen? I'm not looking to get expelled over not waiting a few hours," Harry declared with a grim smile. "I'll probably get expelled for drowning Malfoy or something instead."

Ron was anxious and looking around for any sign of his parents as Harry stretched out on the back seat to read his Charms book. By Harry's estimation, Mr. Weasley turned up an hour after the train had left. He ambled up to the car and sat down in the driver's seat without noticing Ron or Harry.

"Uh," Ron said as he watched his father start the car.

"Merlin's beard!" Mr. Weasley shouted and looked around the car for the first time. "Ronald?! Harry? Didn't you board the train with the others?"

"The barrier was blocked," Harry answered as he sat up. "Someone put a shield or something in front of the barrier. Our trolleys hit the shield and we bounced off. I sent Hedwig off with a note to Professor McGonagall."

"Blocked?" Mr. Weasley echoed as he looked between the two boys. "One moment," he said and took out his wand. He looked around and took out a faded red coin the size of a Galleon. After tapping his wand on the face of the coin, he put it back in his pocket. "This requires a Ministry inspection. A Muggle may have tried to get on the train. We had a right scare one year when a squib found himself on the Hogwarts Express without understanding why he got there. We had to do Memory Charms on a lot of people when his parents declared him missing."

"Why would that have blocked the barrier?" Harry asked drumming his fingers on his book.

"The Ministry decided to block the barrier if the magic behind the barrier feels a Muggle going through. It's a bit like the Muggle-Repelling Charm. We'll get you off to Hogwarts shortly boys," Mr. Weasley said with a grin.

Five minutes later, two out-of-place men walked toward the car. One man wore a tweed canary yellow suit with a lavender hair-wig and the other, taller man wore tie-dye pants and a plaid flannel shirt. Harry spotted the wizards as soon as they walked out of the small alley near the car.

"I believe your friends are here, Mr. Weasley," Harry said, fighting not to laugh at the faces of the people around the two badly dressed wizards. "Wizards really don't understand Muggle clothing," he said with a laugh.

"Oh, I think I do all right," Mr. Weasley harrumphed as he got out of the car.

Harry and Ron watched Mr. Weasley talk to the two wizards a short ways away from the car. The three of them headed into King's Cross Station. Ron complained about getting a move on so they could get to Hogwarts faster but Harry ignored his friend and went back to his book. Mr. Weasley seemed worried about the prospect of a child on the Hogwarts Express. He felt a little sorry for whoever it was. They would see a magical new world only to learn they were denied learning or using magic because of something out of their control.

Mr. Weasley and the two wizards came back after thirty minutes. He poked his head into the car. "We're going to drive a ways into the country and meet Myles Clarke. We'll get you to Hogwarts via a Portkey."

"Really? Wicked!" Ron gasped and grinned at Harry. "You'll love taking a Portkey."

"I doubt it," Harry sighed, knowing how a Portkey worked. He'd made sure to read anything he could about wizard transportation options after his experience with the Floo Network.

"It'll be faster than driving back to the Burrow and taking the Floo," Mr. Weasley said as he got into the car.

"Did you find out what caused the platform to stop working?" Harry asked as Mr. Weasley pulled out of his parking space.

"House-elf magic," Mr. Weasley answered in a dark tone. "We brought in Rodge, a house-elf on staff, to check. Some house-elf tampered with the magic over the platform. If we find out whoever did it, or was ordered to tamper with the barrier, then there will be terrible consequences. If we hadn't checked and recast some of the spells, the Notice-Me-Not Charm may have failed at some point."

Harry had a sinking feeling in his stomach as he looked at Ron. He had no proof it was Dobby, but the house-elf was his chief suspect along with Mr. Malfoy. "Should we tell him?" Harry asked in a low voice to Ron.

"No, we might be wrong," Ron answered with a shrug. "It could have been any house-elf."

Half an hour later, Mr. Weasley drove into a gated orchard off the road. He told Harry and Ron about strategic locations all over Great Britain the Ministry could use for official business. The field had a thick copse of trees surrounding a large open field. "Hold on, Myles Clarke? Like Dominic Clarke's father?" Harry asked as he peered out of the window at the lone figure. He knew Dominic's last name was Clarke and had a father that worked with the Ministry of Magic.

"That sounds about right, his son is trying out for an Auror position," Mr. Weasley answered with a shrug.

"Harry Potter, my son told me about your scuffle with the troll. Impressive work with a Knockback Jinx in a desperate situation," Mr. Clarke said as he shook Harry's hand.

"Your son saved me as much as I saved him, sir," Harry answered with a shrug.

"Be that as it may, thank you. Dominic is trying out to be an Auror next week. I'm so excited for him."

Mr. Weasley had Harry and Ron hold their trunks in one hand in a tight grip. "Now, whatever you do, do not let go of your trunk or the Portkey. Myles cast the spell on a tire iron so you'll get a better grip. Each of you hold on to one side. Now, in a minute, you'll feel like your spinning around before being flung into the air. Just hold on as hard as you can and you'll be in Hogsmeade before you know it."

"Uh, thanks," Ron muttered as he gripped the tool with one hand and his trunk with the other.

"Right, have a…" Mr. Weasley said before his words were drowned out by a rush of wind and a flash of light.

Harry felt like he was spun around at incredible speeds as he started at Ron's wide eyes and soundless scream across from him. They shot into the air, still spinning faster and faster. Harry fought the urge to vomit as his world turned into a fuzzy mirage of color and nausea. The ground leaped up to meet him as he crashed into the hard earth. His body didn't hurt but his head spun and he felt sick. He heard Ron coughing and retching across from him.

"Welcome to Hogsmeade," a sonorous voice called as a large hand clapped itself on Harry's shoulder. "Take a deep breath, it will help."

Harry looked up to see an older, bald wizard wearing brown robes and a tie. "Thank you," he gasped and coughed.

"Ambrosius Flume is the name. I run Honeydukes Sweetshop here in Hogsmeade. The Ministry sent me a message to get you two up to the castle," the older wizard explained and helped Harry to his feet. He did the same for Ron a moment later.

It took a little bit for Harry's vision to stop swimming. Portkeys were not his preferred way to travel. "Locomotor Trunk," he muttered and pointed his wand at his and Ron's trunks. They levitated off the ground about an inch. "Ready when you are, Mr. Flume," he said with a strained smile.

Mr. Flume talked the entire way up to the castle. He praised Harry for his strong constitution after a long-distance Portkey. Ron looked pale and didn't talk. "Third year, sir? I'll have to come to visit you or have Fred or George buy some of your sweets," Harry said with a smile as Mr. Flume talked about all his available products.

"I would be delighted to have you, even if you weren't in your third year," the bald wizard said with a wink. "We're almost there. You alright Mr. Weasley?"

Ron stopped off the wide path to retch into the bushes. He didn't get sick but his face looked paler. "No," he gasped and stood straighter.

"Hospital Wing for both of you," a stern voice called from closer to the castle.

Hedwig flew overhead and landed on Harry's shoulder. She pecked at his ear and eyed him with one large eye. Harry got the feeling his owl was annoyed with him. "Sorry, Hedwig. It turned out Mr. Weasley got us here faster than I expected." He fished out a treat and passed it to Hedwig. She eyed him before taking the peace offering.

"Come along Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley. Thank you Ambrosius for escorting them up to the castle," Professor McGonagall said and gently guided both pupils toward the castle.

Harry grinned as he walked into the Entrance Hall. It felt like he'd come home after a long holiday. His fingers itched to cast as many spells as he could manage without the gnawing fear of being caught. He watched as Peeves floated through a wall, cackling with laughter. Two ghosts followed in pursuit of the troublemaker. Seeing the Hospital Wing again made Harry feel uncomfortable. Madam Pomfrey greeted them as Professor McGonagall sat Ron down on the closest bed.

"The Ministry created the Hogwarts Express to stop long-distance Portkeys for a reason," the aging healer bemoaned as she waved her wand over Ron. "Disorientation, nausea, giddiness, broken bones, and a number of other possible problems involved," she continued as she muttered under her breath.

"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey. We missed the train because someone blocked the barrier to the platform," Harry explained and shrugged. He felt a little nauseous but otherwise felt fine.

"How about you, dear? You seem to be in order," Madam Pomfrey asked as she waved her wand in front of his body.

"I feel all right, not great, but I'll live," Harry answered with a grin.

"Humm, a Pepper-Up Potion for both of you," the healer prescribed.

After downing the sludge, Harry felt his ears warm and billow out warm steam. His entire body felt warm and invigorated. Ron's ears emitted two large clouds of steam as color returned to his face. "I don't want to do that again," Ron muttered as he scrubbed at his face. "This is dreadful."

"Did you just realize you won't have an apatite for the feast?" Harry asked with a laugh.

"I will always eat! Even if I have to get sick later," Ron declared and glared at Harry. They both burst out laughing as Madam Pomfrey reappeared in the Hospital Wing.

"Leave your trunks here, boys. There is about thirty minutes before the train arrives. We'll go down to the Great Hall together," the healer said with a small smile. "Harry, I've done some reading over the summer break. Would you like to see if any of the new spells work?"

Harry perked up and glanced at Ron. "I'd love to, Madam Pomfrey," he said after a moment. He had a suspicion Mrs. Weasley told or questioned Ron about the terrible burn on his shoulder and back.

"Come this way, dear," she ordered and led him behind a half-closed curtain. Harry was thankful for her unsaid offer of privacy. He pulled off his shirt and turned around to face the wall. His back tingled as he felt Madam Pomfrey's wand hover close to his skin. He felt his skin stretch and shape itself as he heard the healer chant behind him.

"Any luck?" Harry asked after a few minutes.

"Some," Madam Pomfrey admitted. "Dark Curses are very hard to counter as the exact wording of the curse causes different effects on the body. A Bone-Breaker Curse is relatively easy to cure by mending the bone itself, however, what if the curse liquefies or vanishes the bone? Skele-Gro would be the only solution to regrowing the bone. Magic is wonderful, powerful, and dangerous in the wrong hands."

Harry understood what the healer was trying to tell him. "I understand and thank you for trying," he said and pulled on his shirt.

"You may as well get into your robes, dear. It will be time to go down soon," Madam Pomfrey said with a small grin. "I will continue to research your burn. I might even heal it completely one day," she said with a laugh. "I haven't had a difficult project in a while."

Harry wasn't sure he liked the idea of visiting the Hospital Wing a lot over the course of the year and made a promise to himself to stay clear of the sterile room as much as possible. "Thank you," he muttered and went back to Ron.

They were the first students in the Great Hall. Ron chose a spot in the middle of the Gryffindor table, near where they normally sat. Harry sat down beside him and opened his book. "We keep mum about what happened as long as possible," he said with a grin. He knew his friends would be worried and shocked to see them arrive at Hogwarts first despite not being on the train.

"_Harry! Ron_!" Hermione gasped as she ran over to the Gryffindor table. "We looked for you all over the train. Where were you two?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing. "Were you hiding under your Cloak?" she asked in a low whisper.

"We've been sworn to secrecy, Hermione," Harry lied as he greeted his friend. Ron's face turned purple and he coughed into his cup of Pumpkin Juice.

"You'll have to show us how you got here so fast!" one twin greeted as they plopped down beside Harry.

"We were sure you'd missed the train until just a little bit ago," the other twin said with a laugh and sat beside Ron. "Budge up, you're taking up two spaces after eating so much."

"Oi!" Ron yelled and shoved his older brother off the bench.

Harry couldn't keep the smile off his face as he watched the other students file into the Great Hall. Even Malfoy and his two pet human-gorillas, Crabbe and Goyle, couldn't dampen his mood. He waved and talked to a number of fellow students he'd met the previous year. Snape sat at the High Table, glowering at everyone with his greasy hair covering part of his face. Professor Flitwick clambered up into his chair and beamed around the hall. Madam Pomfrey sat beside Professor McGonagall and spoke to her in a low voice.

"I can't wait for the food this year!" Ron muttered to himself.

"How was the rest of your summer, Harry?" Neville asked as he sat down beside Hermione. "Sorry Gran pulled me away so fast at Diagon Alley. I wanted to spend the day with you guys."

"It's alright, you just missed Draco getting his foot crushed by a bunch of books," Harry said with a laugh and explained the story.

"How much have you read," Hermione interrupted halfway through the story. She fidgeted in her seat as everyone looked at her.

Harry smirked and gave her a little shrug. "A decent bit. I can't wait for Charms Club this year!" he hedged and changed the subject. He wanted to surprise his friend with all the magic he'd learned over the summer. "How about you? Memorize the coursebooks yet?"

"You know I have!" Hermione huffed and grinned. "Gilderoy Lockhart's books are fascinating!"

Harry grimaced but kept his thoughts to himself on the subject. He hadn't been impressed by the books and wondered why Hermione hadn't picked up on the multiple inconsistencies between what they learned about Vampires in other books versus what Gilderoy said was true. One of the dueling books he bought captivated his attention as it talked about different dueling tactics and how to engage multiple opponents. "Study Club still going to be a thing?" Harry questioned as the last of the students filed into the hall and found seats at their House tables.

"Please!" Neville yelled and blushed. "Sorry, without your help Hermione I would have never done as well as I did."

Hermione's face flushed a little as she smiled. "Of course, Neville. I still want to use the library for some of the homework," she said and looked at Harry.

"I wouldn't dream of depriving you of your library time," Harry said with a laugh. "I'd like to sleep without worrying you'll stab me in my sleep for keeping you away from your books."

"Hush, you," Hermione scolded with a smirk.

Harry realized Professor McGonagall left the High Table at some point during their conversation and nudged Ron. "Your sister will get sorted soon," he said with a smirk. He knew Ron wished his sister would be sorted into another House.

A few minutes later Professor McGonagall appeared again and placed the Sorting Hat on a stool near the High Table. She left again only to reappear five minutes later with a number of first-years in tow. Ginny was in the middle of the group and looked around with wide, blazing eyes. He wondered if it was how he looked the first time he entered the Great Hall.

The Sorting Hat recited the same song he'd heard the year before. Colin Creevey was the small boy Harry had seen on the platform with his family before the barrier incident. The scrawny boy was the first name called and the first Gryffindor of the year.

Erin Doyle, a plump, dower girl was chosen for Hufflepuff. Her face split into a wide grin as she ran off to sit by her brother, Thomas Doyle who was in his sixth-year. Winter, a slim blonde girl was chosen for Gryffindor to tumultuous cheers.

"Lovegood, Luna," Professor McGonagall called. She peered down at a dirty blonde, pale girl with protruding, wide eyes that made her look surprised. Her straggly, waist-length hair bounced as she skipped up to the Sorting Hat and pulled it down over her entire head.

"Ravenclaw," the Sorting Hat yelled a moment later. Luna got off the stool and walked to the Ravenclaw table without taking the hat off. An older Ravenclaw boy took the hat off the odd girl and placed it back on the stool with a shake of his head.

"McDonald, Daria," Professor McGonagall called after the spectacle ended. A plain brunette girl walked to the stool on wobbling legs. She yelped when the Sorting Hat spoke to her and burst into tears when she was sorted into Hufflepuff. Daria ran to Erin and hugged the larger girl as other Hufflepuffs congratulated her on being sorted into their House.

"Mugridge, Harper," Professor McGonagall continued. A swarthy, pudgy boy ambled up to the Sorting Hat with a swagger reminiscent of Draco's walk. Harry had the feeling the sour-faced boy would be sorted into Slytherin. A moment later, the Sorting Hat agreed with Harry.

Aubrey Phillips became the next Ravenclaw and Penelope Stewart joined Gryffindor. Penelope giggled and jumped on Oliver Wood's back. The older boy laughed and set her down on the bench next to him. Ginny stood alone in the middle of the hall as she waited her turn. Harry saw the signs of her nervousness as she fidgeted with her robes.

"Weasley, Ginevra," Professor McGonagall called with a small smile.

"_Another Weasley_!?" someone cried from the Hufflepuff table to raucous laughter. Ginny shot the offending boy a disdainful look before primly sitting on the stool and putting the Sorting Hat over her head.

"Bet two Galleons she's in Gryffindor," a Hufflepuff boy said in a low voice.

"Don't take that bet," Harry called with a laugh to Ron's disappointed groan beside him.

"_Gryffindor_!" the Sorting Hat yelled. Ron muttered and cursed into his goblet while Hermione cheered and clapped for Ginny. The twins lifted their sister on their shoulders and carried her around the table.

Ginny sat beside Hermione and Neville, directly across from an irritated Ron. The Great Hall quieted down as Professor Dumbledore stood in his chair. He stepped up to the ornate podium in front of the High Table. "Before we tuck into our dinner, I have a few start-of-term announcements. You've had the summer to forget all the important information you learned last year. I welcome our new students. The Sorting Hat's song speaks of the unity of all four Houses to create the finest school in the wizarding world. First, the Forbidden Forest is off-limits to all students. This will not change any time in the future," he said to a round of chuckles and a chorus of groans from the twins. "Next, I wish to remind everyone that spells are not to be cast outside of class or in the corridors. Mr. Filch has a growing list of banned objects and substances. If you wish to peruse the list, they can be found on his office door. I wish to congratulate our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart," the Headmaster said with a smile.

Lots of students gasped and shrieked, Hermione included, as the staff door at the side of the hall opened to reveal Gilderoy Lockhart, his flowing blonde hair waving in an invisible breeze. Harry groaned, hoping the revolting wizard's boast at Flourish and Blotts was a publicity stunt of some kind.

"Oh, I knew there were rumors!" Hermione gasped and stood up so she could see the handsome professor better.

"Hermione, you were at Flourish and Blotts when he announced it," Harry snorted in disgust.

"True, but I wasn't sure which position he would get. I heard the Muggle Studies professor resigned as well."

"I'm not sure dying counts as a resignation, but I suppose it does," Harry mused with a wry smile, thinking of Quirrell. He hoped Lockhart, or rather Professor Lockhart, wouldn't try to kill him this year.

"Gran hates him," Neville said with a small smile. "Says he's a liar and a thief for some reason."

"Oh? Why is that?" Ron asked as he turned his head away from the disgusting spectacle of Professor Lockhart posing and talking to Professor Dumbledore.

"She knew someone who he wrote one of his books about. She said he never saved that town from the werewolf."

"Really?" Harry asked but was shushed by Ginny and Hermione.

"He's starting a speech," they hissed at Harry.

"Now that everyone can see me! I wish to thank Dumbledore for inviting me to my favorite school. I was a Ravenclaw but don't let that make you think I'll play favorites, oh no, I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her. I will be showing you how I traveled with trolls, wandered with werewolves, went on holiday with a hag, and spent a year with a yeti! Yes, yes, hold your applause," Professor Lockhart said with a gleaming smile.

Harry noticed the professor said he would show them and not teach them how to do all of his achievements. From Hermione's huge smile, he thought she might not have noticed the word choice. He was honest with himself and wondered if he was giving the foppish wizard a bad name because of his photoshoot at Flourish and Blotts. "Can we eat already," he muttered.

"Here, here," Ron muttered back and drank from his ever-filling goblet of juice.

Harry tuned the rest of Gilderoy's speech out as he fingered his wand under the table. The holster Neville gave him was wrapped around his thigh so his wand was always at hand. Professor Dumbledore's voice woke him from his daydream about cursing Professor Lockhart.

"With that said, tuck in," the Headmaster called as food appeared on the table.

"About time!" Ron yelled as he started to pile a plate higher and higher with food.

Harry ate and talked with his friends, excited to begin the new year. Lee Jordan went on holiday to America to meet family of his. Angelina said her father got her tickets to all the Puddlemere United Quidditch games over the summer so she could see them play. Fred and George let slip Harry bought Ron and himself Nimbus 2001s. Ron turned pink under all the attention but he puffed out his chest and talked about his new broom.

"Now that we have all been fed and watered, I must ask each of you to strive to perform well in all of your endeavors this year. Off to bed!" the Headmaster ordered with a twinkle in his eye as he met Harry's raised eyebrow. Harry noticed the Headmaster hadn't led them in the school song, something he was thankful for.

Ginny wanted to follow her brothers and Harry up to the Gryffindor Common Room, but the new Prefect, Claire Turner, ordered her to follow her. The stocky, short-haired girl glared at anyone who dared to go against her wishes. "We'll see you shortly," Hermione consoled the narrow-eyed redhead. Harry noticed Ginny clutching her wand under her robe and staring hard at Turner.

"Claire might want to watch her back," Fred laughed as he watched Ginny stalk after the other first-years.

"Ginny has never liked to be told what she can and can't do, even with mum," George agreed.

"She just had to be in Gryffindor," Ron complained as they went up the marble staircase.

"All Weasleys have been in Gryffindor," the twins chorused with a laugh. "Percy should have gone to Ravenclaw, though," George said and laughed as his older brother glared at him.

"Home sweet home," Fred grinned as they walked into the common room. A small fire blazed in the fireplace. Several stuffed armchairs sat around the room with large comfortable pillows strewn across the common room. Games were stacked on the long table against one side of the circular room and two large alcoves were on either side of the fireplace.

"I'm headed to bed," Hermione called and went up the stairs by one of the alcoves with Lavender Brown.

"You'll have our old dorm, Harry," George said with a grin. "I hope you don't mind any presents we left for you."

"The house-elves would have cleaned it up," Harry answered and laughed. "You headed to bed Ron?"

"Yeah, mate. I want to make sure I'm rested for tomorrow! We're getting up early again?" Ron asked as he headed toward the downward staircase to the boy's dormitory.

"If you want I can wake you. I'll be up," Harry said with a smile.

"Yeah! I want to make sure I stay in shape," Ron shouted as he descended the stairs.

Harry agonized about going to their Study Classroom to start practicing his spells. It was the first night and he didn't want to get caught after curfew even if he used his Cloak. Annoyed and excited, he threw up his hands and followed Ron to the dormitory. He could at least read and work on the flashcard spells Mr. Weasley hinted at.

It was late into the night before Harry went to bed for the night. He got up at one point to pace the common room as he thought about the various ways to enchant the parchment to do what he wanted. Twenty-six discarded pieces of parchment sat on one table by the fire as he muttered to himself. After attempt thirty-five, he successfully enchanted a small bit of parchment to do what he wanted.

"Harry! You were supposed to wake me," Ron complained as Harry woke up with a start. He realized he'd overslept from his normal time but it was still thirty minutes before breakfast.

"Sorry, mate. I was up late," Harry apologized with a shrug.

"You and your bloody fascination with magic," Ron complained and slammed his trunk. It woke the other boys in the dormitory. They cursed and threw pillows at Ron.

"We'll do a quick exercise then grab a shower before breakfast, Ron," Harry said with a shrug. "We have a few weeks before tryouts."

"I want to be in the best shape possible!" Ron complained as he changed into an old shirt and shorts.

"How did you boys sleep?" Hermione asked as Ron and Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table an hour later. "They are about to give out the class schedules."

"We were supposed to get up early but Harry overslept," Ron muttered and glared at his friend.

"I was up late testing an idea," Harry blithely said with a shrug. He spotted Professor McGonagall at the High Table with seven stacks of parchment in front of her.

"Oh?" Hermione asked as she sat forward in her seat. Ginny perked up as she eyed Harry's robes.

"I'll show you later," Harry teased. He wanted to show off all the knowledge he'd gained over the summer at the same time after he renovated the Study Classroom again.

"Be that way then," Hermione huffed and turned back to her conversation with Ginny.

Harry noticed Ron's sister looked paler than normal. He turned to Neville and said, "you ready for the new year? I think we get to go into _Greenhouse 2_ for a lot of our Herbology classes."

"Oh yes! I couldn't sleep last night thinking about all the plants we'll get to work with. You came back in the dormitory around two in the morning, Harry," Neville accused with a laugh.

"Shh," Harry hissed, hoping Hermione hadn't heard Neville. "I have a surprise that you might like."

"You figure out how to enchant the flashcards then?" Neville asked with a small grin.

"Ugh!" Harry groaned and put his head in his hands. "Let me guess, you were awake."

"Mate, the only person who didn't wake up was Ron when you waltzed into the room chanting 'I did it, I did it,' I'm surprised Seamus or Dean didn't curse you for waking them."

Before Harry could say anything, parchments popped into existence above the tables and floated down to each student. Harry took his and raised an eyebrow. "Double Charms on Tuesday, double Potions on Wednesday, and double Transfiguration on Thursday. You think they are laying it on a little thick?" he asked with a smirk.

"I think it is the last year we have before our elective studies. Next year we'll have less time for the core classes," Hermione said to Harry's rhetorical question.

"Any idea what you might take?" Harry asked as he memorized the course schedule. Ron moaned and complained about the fifth class and his Quidditch workout times beside Harry.

"All of them?" Hermione answered in a small voice.

"You think you could keep up with the course work?" Harry questioned as he wrote in the margins around the spiraling layout of the schedule.

"Maybe? Yes? I know I want to try!" she declared and glared at Harry. "You think I couldn't do it?"

"I think you could do whatever you set your mind to. But…" he said before trailing off. He felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips. "Like you could ever beat me," he challenged with a laugh.

"Please! You lost to me last year on the exams. Like_you_could ever beat me!" Hermione spat with narrowed eyes.

The table became silent as Harry locked eyes with his friend. He saw her lips break into a smile. "Keep dreaming, you'll lose this year," Harry challenged with a large grin.

Ron and Neville groaned but Harry could see they weren't mad. "Double Potions with Professor Snape and the Slytherins after lunch," Neville muttered with a shudder. "At least Herbology is first today."

Pomona Sprout, the Herbology professor, greeted everyone with a wide smile. "Good morning, class. I hope you are ready to learn this year as we will be handling and learning about more difficult plants, fungi, and ingredients. I have spent the last four weeks preparing the lesson for today. Mandrakes are a sentient plant that has roots that look like a human baby. When a Mandrake is mature, its cry can be fatal to anyone who hears it. Potioneers, how have you used Mandrakes before in Potions?"

Hermione, Harry, Neville, and three other students all raised their hands. "Neville, go ahead," Professor Sprout called.

"Stewed Mandrake is used in the Wiggenweld Potion and Mandrake Restorative Draught."

"Very good, take five points for Gryffindor. Oh, yes, Hermione?" Professor Sprout asked when she turned back around.

"Stewed Mandrake is also used in Oculus Potion and Volubilis Potion," she answered and shot a triumphant smirk at Harry.

"Very good, take five more points to Gryffindor. Can anyone else provide information on Mandrakes?"

Harry rolled his eyes and raised his hand. Professor Sprout called on him with a small smile. "The most reliable way to use stewed Mandrake is to place the ingredients into the potion whole or cut up. Mandrakes or Mandragora is a magical offshoot of the nightshade family. It can be used as a pain killer and sedative in medical applications and was used in ancient times for surgery," he said and tried not to wince when Hermione stepped on his foot.

"Very good! Take five more points for Gryffindor. All pertinent information regarding Mandrakes. Today, we will re-pot the infant Mandrakes into new soil. Everyone grab their earmuffs," Professor Sprout ordered.

Harry enjoyed the hour-long class as he removed screaming plant-babies from one pot before shoving them into the soft soil of another. Thankfully, he couldn't hear the screaming Mandrakes or Neville's excited babble as he talked to himself during the re-potting process. While he liked his round-faced friend, Neville could talk their ears off when it came to the different types of plants, soil nutrition ratios, and how to care for each plant.

Professor McGonagall gave them all review material and collected the summer assignments as she walked around the class. She made them review all the coursework from the previous year to ensure no one had forgotten the basic principles of Transfiguration. Harry was bored but did as he was instructed, not wanting to upset the stern professor.

"You think she'll be in a better mood this year now that she holds the House Cup?" Harry whispered to Ron.

"Never," his friend shot back with a grin.


	5. Chapter 5: Potions and DADA

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 5: Potions and DADA**

The Gryffindors went back up to the tower after lunch to get their books before going to class. Harry expected the sneers and barefaced hatred from the Slytherin students as they waited outside the Potions classroom. Snape opened the door with a bang, glaring at all of them. "Some of you failed remarkably on your exams last term. Others," the Potions Master trailed off as he stared at Harry. "Others of you relied on better, more skilled students to help you pass. Or, they used their friendship to force my hand."

Harry wasn't sure what the professor was hinting at but thought it might have been about his Exceeds Expectations mark. However, after he thought about it, he realized he earned the score without anyone's assistance. He saw Malfoy grimace and glance at Crabbe. "Expect to fail this year, all of you. I have had enough of pandering to the weak. Catch up with your betters or forever fall behind. You have been warned," Snape finished with a malevolent smile.

The Potion Master let them in the classroom and took his place at the front. He waved his wand at the blackboard. "The Sleeping Draught, something you will need to learn if you wish to pass your O.W.L.s in a few years. Not because it will be required to know, but because of the dreamless sleep it provides to the drinker. Crushed lavender is the primary agent in this concoction while the powdered Valerian sprigs are used to sedate the drinker to sleep. Most of you will have never heard of lavender," the professor sneered as he looked Lavender Brown in the eyes," but I expect all of you have a passing knowledge of how to crush delicate blossoms."

"Pass up your summer essays. I will grade them as you brew a Forgetfulness Potion while I lecture. I expect you to be able to keep up at all times," Snape said with a sneer. "You have ten minutes to prepare before I begin my lecture."

"Bloody hell," Ron muttered to Harry as they scrambled to get all the ingredients and set up their cauldrons.

"Good, most of you are ready. The rest, catch up," the Potions Master called into the classroom. He waved his wand at the board before beginning his lecture. "Lavender is a common plant found on almost all continents. It has purplish coloring and has a color named after it. Apart from the Sleeping Draught, it is used in the Fire-Breathing Potion to help soothe the throat while drinking."

Snape's snide tone and seemingly innocuous comments about Lavender Brown reduced the outgoing and boisterous girl into a sobbing wreck by the end of the Potions class. Draco and the Slytherins suppressed their laughter during the class any time lavender was mentioned. Harry had the feeling Snape was attacking the poor girl for a reason but didn't know why. Parvati Patil, Lavender's closest friend, consoled her in the hall after class. Hermione looked livid while Neville had a concerned look on his face.

"That was an awful class," Hermione complained after they left the dungeons. "I can't believe Professor Snape continued his comments after refusing to let Lavender leave the room. He attacked her the entire class!"

"It was deplorable, but we don't know the full story," Harry cautioned as he watched Draco and his friends out of the corner of his eye. The Slytherin students weren't acting in coordination with Snape's attack. They capitalized on the evident dislike of their Head of House and acted accordingly.

"You aren't defending Snape are you?" Ron yelled, causing a few students to turn and glare at Harry.

"You're mad if you think I'm defending him," Harry answered in a calm tone. "I said we don't know the entire story and his actions were deplorable. How am I defending him, Ron?"

"Oh… right, sorry mate" Ron muttered and turned to look at the sobbing Lavender.

"Defense with Professor Lockhart is next," Neville interrupted with a small grin. His attempt at raising the mood failed for most of the Gryffindors.

"Breakfast not treating you well, mate?" Ron asked as he waited by the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. "You've been running off after class all day."

"Something like that," Harry answered with a laugh. He'd made an excuse to leave the group after Potions and ran down the corridor. At the next corridor, he doubled back and headed for the Study Classroom. It took him five minutes to get to the classroom and start casting his spells. He was so excited that he lost track of time and had to sprint to get back to his friends on time for class.

Gilderoy Lockhart stood at the front of the classroom as the students filed in. Harry found a desk toward the middle of the room and sat beside Neville. Ron and Hermione sat one row ahead of them. Lavender, Fay, Parvati, and Laura Parsons sat in the front few desks with identical looks of admiration. Laura played with her strawberry-blonde hair as she fidgeted at her desk. Harry looked around to see dozens of photos of Lockhart smiling down at them all from the walls. He shivered at the sight.

"Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? Good! Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts with yours truly, Gilderoy Lockhart," the beaming wizard announced and winked around the room. Harry fought not to gag. "All of you know me, of course. Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekley's Most-Charming-Smile Award are a few accomplishments I've achieved but I don't talk about those. No, I talk about the wonderful work I've done for the wizarding community. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by _smiling_ at her!"

"Is this muppet serious?" Harry spat under his breath and almost wished it were the stuttering Quirrell trying to teach them instead; dark curses and plots to kill him be damned.

"I think so, mate," Ron shot back with a wry grin. Hermione shushed them both with a withering glare.

"I see you've bought a complete set of my books, well done! I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about, just to check how well you've read them and how much you remember."

A stack of parchment papers was passed around the room. Harry read over the paper and felt his eyebrows reach his hairline. "Are you bloody kidding me," he hissed as he read:

1\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

2\. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3\. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

Harry continued to read through all fifty-four questions, his stomach churned like he'd drank a carton of curdled milk. "Please, can I have Quirrell back now?" he muttered to himself. Neville shot him a worried look and went back to scribbling on the page. Harry picked up the quill and hated himself for writing every word.

The sound of quills scratching on parchment filled the room for thirty minutes until Professor Lockhart took up the papers with a dazzling smile. He flipped through the pages and chuckled to himself. Harry wondered if he could curse a few of the professor's teeth out to vent his frustration at another waste of a class. "Oh dear, hardly any of you remembered my favorite color is lilac. I say so in the Year with the Yeti. My ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples… though I wouldn't turn down a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky," Lockhart said as he flashed a smile at his students. "Well done to Miss Hermione Granger for knowing my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions. Oh, wow, a real avid reader of my works. Full marks! Take ten points to Gryffindor. Let's see," he said and continued reading.

"Harry, my boy! You got almost all of them correct. You missed that I gave my first interview at the tender age of nine. I said so in Gadding with Ghouls, chapter eleven. Take ten points to Gryffindor for your excellent work," the professor praised.

Harry felt his eye twitch and hoped the Defense Professor didn't have a Sneakoscope. His desire to push the grinning wizard out the open window was becoming overpowering. He fought to put a polite smile on his face. Ron and Neville snorted under their breaths.

"Now the easy part of the class is over. I have a surprise for everyone! These are devilish blighters and are prone to causing mischief, mayhem, and even death!" Professor Lockhart cried as he pointed to a large object covered by a brown cloth.

"He caught Fred and George then?" Ron muttered. Harry and Neville snorted into their hands and shot Ron a thumbs up.

"Freshly caught Cornish pixies!" the professor yelled and yanked off the cloth. Inside the wooden cage were about a dozen electric blue pixies. They stood about eight inches tall, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to nails being run down a chalkboard.

Seamus and Dean chortled, not hiding the fact they were laughing. Harry fought to keep a straight face while Neville looked a little pale. "Don't worry, they are troublemakers and not dangerous at all," Harry muttered to his friend. "If this idiot lets them out hit them with…" he started to say before he was cut off by screaming.

"Let's see how you deal with them!" Gilderoy Lockhart yelled and pulled open the door. Pandemonium reigned as all the pixies darted out of their cage and caused mischief. One tried to seize Neville but he cast a Knockback Jinx at it, sending it tumbling into the wall. Ron missed with his spell, hitting a screaming portrait of the professor in a fashionable robe and top-hat.

"Immobulus," Harry and Hermione cast at the same time. Hermione's spell exploded near three pixies pulling at Parvati's hair, making them freeze in mid-air. Harry's spell hit a small group of pixies that had grabbed Seamus' wand. The smallest pixie had the wand's tip up its nose.

"Expelliarmus," Harry cast into the group of slow-moving pixies. The closest pixie with the wand was hit by the spell and rocketed into the ceiling before falling onto a desk with a crash. Seamus' wand flew into Harry's hand as he looked around the class.

"Well done!" Gilderoy called from under his desk. He popped his head up and grinned at them all. "Ten points to both Mister Harry Potter and Miss Hermione Granger," he said as he smoothed out the wrinkles from his robes.

Harry grunted and tossed Seamus his wand. Hermione beamed at the professor. The bell rung, signaling the end of the class before Gilderoy could get the pixies back into the cage. He asked Harry and Hermione to stay to help him. Harry was going to tell the professor off, but Hermione accepted and started to clean up the mess caused by the pixies.

"The only thing good about that class is that it's an hour long," Harry complained as he sat down in the common room. His excitement to show his friends his surprise was dampened by the horrible Defense Against the Dark Arts class.

"It wasn't so bad," Hermione argued with a frown.

"Hermione, Lockhart lost his wand to a pixie when he tried to cast a spell at it. He then proceeded to jump under his desk and wait out the fiasco. I really, really hope this isn't going to be a regular thing," Harry said and shook his head. "If so, I'll just read my book like in History of Magic."

"Speaking of books, mate. You knew all those questions?" Ron asked with a smirk.

"To my eternal shame… I read his books," Harry admitted with a sigh. "We doing our homework here or in the Study Classroom?" he asked. He felt a surge of excitement until Ron shook his head.

"Let's just do the homework here. I want to do my exercises before dinner."

Neville narrowed his eyes. "I vote the Study Classroom," he said and looked at Hermione.

The bushy-haired girl bit her lip and looked around. Other Gryffindors were making their way in from their last classes and filling up the room. "Study Classroom, then we can hit the library if needed before Ron goes off to the Quidditch field."

Harry breathed out and glanced at Neville. The round-faced boy shot him a smirk. They packed up their bags and left the common room. "You know, you made an interesting point. I could find a classroom nearer to the library in case we needed to use the reference books, Hermione. I chose this one last year because it was close to the tower."

"Something to keep in mind," Hermione mused as they walked down the corridor.

"Hiya, Harry!" a squeaky voice yelled from down the corridor.

Harry looked up to see Colin Creevey waving at him with his over-sized camera. He could only see the mousy brown hair behind the large camera and flash unit. "Can I take your picture?" Colin asked.

"One, but Colin, please stop following me," Harry compromised with a sigh.

"Thanks!" Colin yelled and pumped his fist. He stood about five feet away and took a picture before running off with a thank you.

"Harry Potter Fan Club," Ron said with a laugh. "Colin could join Ginny."

"Please don't joke about something so serious," Harry muttered and suppressed a shutter. "Almost to the classroom."

"What the!" Ron gasped as he opened the heavy wood door. Harry fought back a grin as the door swung inward to reveal his hard, but rushed work.

The room was divided into three sections with low wooden walls. The largest section was near the door. Five stuffed arm-chairs sat around a raised square stone brazier with three side-tables close by. One side-table was the one they used to store their drinks from the kitchens. Three long tables were against the wall with a long blackboard above them. Each of the four walls had one of the House colors displayed.

In the second section, Harry spent a little extra time to design a physical training area for Ron and himself. A small obstacle course was designed out of stone and Softening Charms were cast everywhere to prevent someone from getting get hurt. He had pull-up bars, half-walls to jump over, ledges to climb up, and narrow raised paths to walk across to help with balance. His hope was Ron would exercise in the room and not disappear onto the Quidditch field for hours on end, ignoring his friends and school work.

"Wicked, mate," Ron said as he wandered over to the obstacle course.

Harry found it amusing how different his friend's attitude toward physical exercise had changed over the summer.

"What is this?" Neville asked as he moved to the last and smallest section.

"You tell me," Harry questioned with a smirk. He was still working through the best way to implement his idea.

"An indoor garden and place to brew potions?" Neville asked after a moment.

"Spot on," Harry grinned as he pointed to the five boxes with small dividers. "I'm trying to figure out how to simulate sunlight in here, but maybe I can find a different classroom with a window."

"Harry this is brilliant," Hermione finally commented after she walked around the entire room. "How did you shape so much stone?"

Harry grinned and flicked his wand for emphasis. "The Hardening Charm used on a lot of cheap parchment I picked up at Diagon Alley," he explained with a grin. "Fast, cheap, and something I hope will last a long time. I enlarged the parchment to the size I wanted and shaped or cut it with the Severing Charm before turning it to stone."

"Brilliant!" Hermione praised and grinned at him. "The Hardening Charm is the spell I want as payment for winning." Harry and Hermione had a small competition at lunch to see who knew more about Imps. They agreed to teach the other a spell they learned over the summer if they lost. Percy declared Hermione the winner when she gave more information than Harry, but it was a close thing.

"I thought you might choose that," Harry smirked before pulling out a brown card the size of his hand from his robes. "No changing your decision," he teased as he passed her the card. He took another out and passed it to Neville. "This is for you, mate," Harry said and grinned as Neville turned the vivid green card over.

"Uh, thanks," Neville muttered as he flipped it back over again.

"Tap it with your wand," Harry coached and crossed his fingers behind his back. Ron wandered over to Hermione to look at her card too.

Neville shrugged and pulled out his wand. He tapped the front of the card and gasped. Hermione did the same and yelled. "You did it! _You did it__!_" she screeched as she read aloud. "This potion gives off a foul odor and is golden in color." She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "There are too many potions like that," she muttered.

"Tap it with your wand again for the next hint. It goes from hardest and obscure information to easy," Harry helped and turned to watch Neville. "Which question did you get?"

"This magical plant is a member of the mustard family," Neville said with a frown. "Could be a few of them but I'd guess Fluxweed." The card flashed a brighter green before the words disappeared. "Woah!" Neville gasped. Words appeared on the card a moment later. He grinned and read the next question.

"Oh, I know it now," Hermione said and grinned. "It's the Girding Potion. The hint that it gives the consumer prolonged endurance gave it away. Oh! It flashed… this ingredient's removal causes extreme annoyance and is considered a precious and regulated ingredient by the Ministry."

"Harry, how does it know we are giving the right answers?" Ron asked after Hermione got the third question correct. Neville was on his eighth and was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"The Voicing Charm acts as a true or false barrier to the next question. It took me hours to get all the spells to work how I wanted. I tried putting all the spells into a card at first but the order in which you cast the charms is extremely important. I could enchant the card to be completely voice-activated but this has already stretched my magical understanding of the charms involved. I need to learn more about each charm's limits but haven't had time to look through the library," Harry explained with a shrug.

"I want to know all the spells you used!" Hermione demanded with a fierce gleam in her eye. "I can't even imagine how much time and experimentation you put into this. Did you use magic over the summer or something?" she asked in annoyance. "Better yet, did you get _any_ sleep last night?"

Harry laughed and shook his head. "I've been reading every day since before the summer to try and figure this out. This isn't an overnight achievement. Mr. Weasley gave me the last pieces to the puzzle," he admitted with a smile.

"Is that what you were doing in the garage? I thought my dad kept pulling you off to talk about Muggle related items," Ron questioned with a frown.

"Oh, he did, but I asked questions back," Harry answered with a grin. "The last bit of magic is required by all of us. What password do we want for the door?"

"You can do that!?" Hermione gasped and looked at her card. "You used a password for each answer! That is brilliant! Like the Fat Lady's portrait."

"It is where I got the idea," Harry admitted with a small shrug. "Any ideas for a password? Something you'll feel comfortable remembering Neville?"

Neville hummed and muttered to himself. "Dittany? We'll rotate plant and ingredient names?" he asked, looking at the others.

"You would choose that," Ron said with a laugh. "Yeah, it works for me. Easy to remember and who says Dittany at a door?"

Harry led them outside the classroom and looked around the corridor. "_Fumos,_" he muttered and cloaked them in a large smokescreen.

"Is this necessary?" Hermione asked as she waved the smoke away from her face.

"Maybe, maybe not," Harry answered and pointed his wand at the door. "Permittae Verbum," he enunciated with a strong voice. "Dittany… Inrito Furus," he finished and turned to his friends. "There, try an Unlocking Charm," he challenged, hoping the spell he'd read worked.

"Alohomora," Hermione said and swished her wand at the lock on the door. Nothing happened. "Is that the Anti-Alohomora Charm? I think I read about that in one of Professor Lockhart's new books."

"Really? I missed it then," Harry answered and rolled his eyes. "I read it in _An Anthology of Sixteenth Century Charms_. The creator, Blagdon Blay, created the charm when his house got broken into a lot by the Unlocking Charm. Brilliant really, except it said he locked himself out of his house for a week until he could break his door down. He could have just gone in through his window or something."

"Only a little homework to do before dinner. Dittany," Hermione said and watched as the door swung inward.

Harry fought to keep the smile off his face as he completed his homework in record time. Ron worked through his homework with similar efficiency, something that amazed Hermione, before running over to try out the small obstacle course. By dinner time, Harry and Ron worked up a sweat while Neville and Hermione looked over the new flashcards. Hermione asked Harry questions about the spells involved while he worked out.

"You two smell," Ginny said while wrinkling her nose.

"Quite right, little sister," one twin agreed as he pinched his nose.

"How offensive," the other twin chorused and laughed as Harry made a rude gesture to him.

"How were your classes?" Harry asked as he piled food onto his plate.

"Did you two have Gilderoy Lockhart today?" Ron asked before he filled his mouth with food.

"First class of the morning," one twin said with a grimace. "He tripped over his own feet to get away from three Imps! Imps for Merlin's sake!" the other twin shouted.

"Keep it down," Hermione scolded. "We had pixies and he did all right."

"All right? He hid behind the desk, Hermione," Neville corrected with a shrug. "They did move fast though."

"Doesn't seem to be very good at his job, Fred," George muttered and looked at his twin.

"What about you, Ginny?" Fred asked and patted his sister on the shoulder. She jumped but didn't answer.

"But he's done all those things in his books," Hermione huffed into her goblet.

"Sfes hefs dfone," Ron countered with his mouth full.

Harry felt his eye twitch as he looked at his friend. "We'll know sooner or later," he said and looked at Fred, George, and Ginny on the other side of the table. "Remind me to show you how the flashcard turned out."

"Oh, you finally got it finished?" Fred asked as he eyed Harry's robes.

"We saw you up late last night," George explained a moment later.

"Yeah, there are a few improvements and changes that I want to make at some point but for now, I'm happy."

"Could I see one now?" Ginny asked with a shy smile.

"Harry! Harry! Could I get a picture of you and your friends?" Colin asked as he ran over and sat beside Neville.

"Colin, please," Harry sighed. "No, there is a time and place for everything. Drop it for now. How were your first few classes? I know my first year was an amazing one."

"Oh! It was so exciting! I made light appear out of my wand!" Colin shouted and waved his short wand around while holding his camera in the other. The flash went off, blinding two Hufflepuffs at the next table.

"Oi! First-year, calm down!" someone yelled before Colin got himself under control.

"You four set yourselves up in that classroom again?" George asked after he finished his plate.

"For now," Harry admitted and looked to his friends. "We discussed finding a classroom closer to the library so we could use the library more for reference."

"Want us to scope out a room for you?" Fred asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"We'll discuss payment and means later," Harry answered in a low voice. Hermione shot him a look before going back to her conversation with Ginny.

The youngest Weasley was looking pale and a little aloof but Harry figured it was due to all the experiences she'd had over the day. He knew he'd been awed and cowed on his first day too.

Harry did his best to ignore Gilderoy Lockhart the next morning. He kept trying to work on his other projects but kept getting interrupted by the beaming professor. His patience was wearing thin by the time the class ended. Ron and Neville sided with Harry when Hermione scolded him for ignoring the important lesson.

Professor Flitwick welcomed the class with a wide grin. "So many excellent marks at the end of last year. I can't wait to see how far you've progressed over the summer," the diminutive professor squeaked in excitement. A chorus of groans ran through the students. Harry and Hermione grinned at each other.

The class was set to reviewing all the spells they learned the previous year. Harry was excited to see Ron and Neville hadn't forgotten how to cast the spells he and Hermione helped them learn. They worked through the review material in minutes and handed in their summer homework assignments. Professor Flitwick beamed at Harry and Hermione. Lavender struggled with her spells, turning red-faced when her friends cast the assigned charms with ease. Fay and Pavarti talked to her in the corner of the class and coaxed her into trying the Softening Charm again. Seamus and Dean looked busy but were talking about a recent football match upset.

"Good!" the diminutive professor squeaked. "You've mastered the first-year spells. Well done, all of you. Now, we will go over the Dancing Feet Spell I gave you for your end-of-year practical exam. I know some of you struggled and that is okay, however, it is time to master the spell."

Harry and Hermione exchanged looks as Ron flushed a little. Neville grinned and waved his wand at the chair near him. The legs broke out into a floundering tap-dance as it drunkenly wobbled across the room.

"Very good, Mr. Longbottom. Take five points for Gryffindor! Once you have the spell down, please move on to the Engorgement Charm, as we will be working on that next," the professor ordered with a glance to Harry and Hermione.

"Fancy a bet?" Harry suggested, trying not to laugh.

"Oh? What would this bet entail?" Hermione shot back with a smirk.

"I perform the spell faster than you can and make the desk my height," Harry answered after thinking for a moment.

"Too easy, you think I don't know the charm? Please…" Hermione said with a dismissive laugh. "Let's make it a real challenge. The first one to enchant a quill to the size of a desk wins. Loser gives up a spell they learned over the summer."

Harry mulled over the bet as he eyed his friend. He knew she felt confident as it was a lot harder to keep growing objects after three times their mass. "I'll take your bet," he answered with a shrug. They both took out quills from their bag and Harry ran a finger over the spine of his quill. He weighed the writing instrument in his palm and notice Hermione did the same beside him. "On three?" he asked and placed the quill on the desk in front of him.

"On three," Hermione agreed and glared at her quill.

"One… two… five," Harry joked. Hermione shot him a withering glare but didn't cast the charm. "Couldn't help it," he muttered. "One… two… _Three_! _Engorgio_!"

The quills on both desks expanded in stuttering starts and stops. Harry held his breath as he looked between their quills as they grew. He hadn't realized the entire class had stopped to watch their competition. Professor Flitwick had a bright gleam in his eye as he watched them.

"I believe… Hermione wins this one, mate," Ron commented with a chuckle.

"I don't know," Neville interjected with a grin. "Harry's droops off the desk on this side, it may be closer than you think."

"I believe we'll need to measure them," Professor Flitwick announced and hopped off his perch of books. He waddled over to the two desks and waved his wand. Both quills hovered in the air before turning with the tip facing the floor. Another wave of his wand caused the quills to turn to stone.

"I can't tell," Dean muttered as he peered at the statues.

"The one on the left is just a little bigger," Lavender judged while biting her lip.

"I think you're right," Fay agreed with a grin. "Your loss, Harry."

"We shall see," Professor Flitwick said and waved his wand again. A tape measure appeared out of nowhere and measured both stone quills. "Seventy-three centimeters and four millimeters versus seventy-four centimeters and one millimeter, Hermione wins."

"Aw!" Harry cried but grinned at his beaming friend. "Wait to tell me which spell you want to learn until later," he suggested with a smirk.

"Think you know more than I do, _Potter_?" she challenged with a triumphant gleam in her eye.

"We'll see," Harry answered with a laugh.

"Well done, both of you," Professor Flitwick cut in and waved his wand. The quills were returned to their normal state and shrunk back down to their original size a moment later. "Ten points to Gryffindor for both of you. Let me explain, class, why doing what they did is hard." The diminutive professor returned to his perch on the books and waved his wand at the blackboard. A piece of chalk rose into the air and began to write as he spoke. "Changing the size of any object requires you to understand the very makeup of the object. If I were to enlarge this desk, I could just cast the spell and it would grow in mass. Simple and minimal effort, however, if I were to go past triple the size then I would need to account for every little detail. Please stand back as I demonstrate."

The class made a large, broken semicircle around a desk Professor Flitwick floated to the center of the classroom. "Engorgio," the professor said. A deep blue spell shot from his wand, hitting the desk and making it grow a little. "Simple and required almost no power to achieve. Now, again… _Engorgio_."

The desk grew and grew until it almost touched the ceiling. Harry thought the desk could be used as a small tent. "Everyone take a look at the bolts in particular for this example. What is different?"

"They are bigger in terms of size than the ones on the regular-sized desks," Neville answered after a moment.

"Very good, you must account for every variable, similar to Transfiguration. If I were to cast the spell and expect everything to work after double the size then little inconsistencies will appear. After three times then you have a much higher chance for a catastrophic failure of your spell. It may not do any damage to you, the caster, but it could cause harm to someone else or the target. If the object reaches an unsafe size or fails, the object will violently explode. Never, enlarge humans. Animals are safe in most cases, but not without sufficient understanding of the animal and mastery of the counter-charm, Reducio. Why would that be bad?"

"You could mess up the size of their brains or something," Parvati reasoned and pointed to the bolt nearest to her. "If you made an organ too small or too big by not understanding how it works, then you could potentially kill them."

"Take five points for Gryffindor for the quick response and sound reasoning. This is precisely why Human Transfiguration is a dangerous and difficult branch to master. The Engorgement Charm was created originally for farming but has since been used to enlarge objects so wizards can better understand the world. The Reduction Charm, or Reducio, will be the second spell you master this term. Again, well done to everyone who participated," Professor Flitwick said and shrunk the desk back to its regular size.

"That was wicked," Ron said as they left the Charm's classroom. "How hard is it really?"

"Difficult, but not insanely so," Harry admitted after a minute. "Well done, Hermione. I hadn't thought to push the limits of that spell when I practiced."

"When did you practice?" Hermione asked with narrowed eyes.

"When I got to Hogwarts of course!" Harry lied with a fake indignant huff. He hoped it looked convincing.

"I practiced on the train and last night. I thought Fay was going to throw me out of our dormitory," she admitted with a faint blush.

"You could have joined me in the common room. I was up for a long time last night working on my project."

"Which one?" Hermione and Neville asked at the same time.

"You'll see," Harry answered with a grin. He followed his friend to the library to wait for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class to start. They finished the short Charms essay due the next day on the Dancing Feet Spell before time to head to class.

Their double Transfiguration class with Professor McGonagall was after lunch and Herbology. "Welcome class. Reading your summer essays was… enlightening," the professor greeted in a stern voice. "Your first year was spent understanding the Transfiguration Formula and how to implement simple changes to the world around you. This year we will focus on undoing the changes and performing untransfiguration on objects. Leaving a rabbit head on a footstool is irresponsible and dangerous."

Harry saw Hermione's determined look as they locked eyes. The professor explained the theory and method of returning objects to their original form and how it applied to the Transfiguration Formula. She explained a true master of Transfiguration could spot and understand how, when, and who transfigured an object. Magic left a trace on the world around it and it was more pronounced on transfigured objects.

"Up for another challenge?" Harry questioned with a grin.

"Up for losing again?" Hermione shot back as she scooted her chair closer to Harry's desk.

"We transfigure objects and make the other person untransfigure them. The first one who fails, loses," Harry said with a confident laugh.

"I want the Anti-Alohomora Charm," Hermione shot back as she sat straighter in her chair.

"We turn our backs, transfigure the objects and turn back around again. Neville, can you act as a judge?"

"This really isn't the class to do this in," Neville warned but agreed to officiate their little competition.

"Quite right," a stern voice chastised as Professor McGonagall appeared behind them. "I am, however, interested in seeing which of you loses. Continue."

"At it again," Dean sighed and went back to trying to untransfigure a cauldron into a goblet.

"Show offs," Fay snorted and turned back to Lavender and Parvati.

Harry heard but ignored them as he turned his back on Hermione. He was about to transfigure the cauldron into something else when Professor McGonagall interrupted them. "I believe, I will do the transfiguration for the two of you," the professor announced and waved her wand over both of the cauldrons. The two metal cauldrons morphed and shaped themselves into two identical cats. "You must return the cat to its original form of a goblet to win the challenge. The first one who gets it right, wins. The rest of the class, please continue your exercises as it will take them some time to figure it out."

Harry grimaced and looked at Hermione. She had a sheepish but determined look on her face. "Ready?" he asked and took a deep breath.

"_Go!_" she answered in a strong voice and started to wave her wand over the cat.

Harry cast a few detection spells to understand the weight and size of the inert but alive cat in front of him. It unnerved him to be staring into the bright green eyes of the tabby cat as he tried to figure out a way to untransfigure the living animal. His brain ached as he mentally did the math involved but had to restart when he realized he wasn't turning the cat back into a cauldron but a goblet.

Harry and Hermione attempted the untransfiguration multiple times over the next half-hour. Harry felt sweat pour off his neck as he struggled to get the variables exactly right to beat his friend. He tried not to look at Hermione and only focus on his task. His head pounded as he picked up his wand again and focused hard. "Reparifarge," he intoned controlling and shaping his magic as it entered the cat.

He opened his eyes to see a perfect silver goblet sitting in front of him. "Yes!" he cried out and slumped back on his chair. He looked over to see Hermione's goblet was an opaque color but had five whiskers sticking out of one side.

"Well done, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall called and strode over to his goblet. She took it up and inspected it. "A tricky piece of work, however, the goblet given to you was crystal, not silver. Take ten points to Gryffindor for your hard work. Hermione, take five points for a very difficult task. Both of you will stay behind after the bell." A ringing echoed around the classroom a moment later, signaling the end of the class.

"Both of you are well ahead of your peers. Filius informed me of your little competition at lunch so I prepared in case you decided to do the same in my class. I do not approve of doing your own thing in my classroom, however, I will not hold you back from learning. You both are not the first, nor will you be the last, pupils who accelerate past their peers early in their magical education. If we were having this conversation two hundred years ago, you would be assigned a teacher to guide your education," Professor McGonagall explained as she sat behind her desk. Harry and Hermione looked at each other for a moment.

"I will offer both of you a chance to complete higher grades of coursework after Halloween. You may not start any new material until you've proven to me that you have mastered the concepts that I provide. After Halloween, I will assign you two homework assignments. One for this term, as you are still graded on all course assignments, and one for next term. You will sit your final exams at the end of the term, as usual, however, you will be exposed to more advanced knowledge and will have to take exams to prove you are capable of keeping up with the coursework. I will grade all your practical assignments and essays as if you sat your O.W.L.s this year," the professor continued as she looked at Harry then Hermione. "Before you get too excited," she warned and broke off, pulling two parchments out of her desk drawer. "If you accept the higher workload, you will be required to complete your work in five of your chosen classes. Next year, you will pick up two elective courses, increasing your workload more. Think very carefully before you decide one way or another. This is a list of concepts and spells you will be required to know before the end of the year for each subject if you decide to undertake this route. While it may seem like a lot, it will set you up for success in your future years."

Harry took the long parchment and felt his jaw drop. Each of the core classes had a long list of requirements for them to learn before the end of the year. He had to choose five core classes and keep up with all his normal classwork assignments as well if he wanted to take Professor McGonagall up on the offer. There were several potions he didn't recognize and even more spells he didn't know. He gulped and looked at Hermione. Her eyes were wide as she read the parchment, her mouth was moving but no sound came out.

"Thank you, professor," Harry said as he looked over the list again. "You said we needed to have an answer by Halloween?"

"Correct and do not thank me, yet," Professor McGonagall said with a thin smile. "Both of you, good work on what you've accomplished so far. It may seem like a lot, and it is, but it will be a rewarding experience if you can handle the workload. For your information, Percy has been on this path since his second year. Enjoy your night and good luck."

Harry talked to Hermione in a low voice as they made their way to the common room. "What do you think?"

"This is a lot, Harry," she muttered back, her eyes still reading the parchment. "I know some of these spells but there are so many on this list for Charms and DADA. I don't even want to begin about Potions. I guessed you might have recognized more of the Potions than I did but I saw the look on your face. What should we do?"

"Think about it and see how far we can get before Halloween. It is the only reason Professor McGonagall would have given us the requirements this early. If we don't make enough headway before Halloween, we continue to learn on our own and go from there," Harry suggested with a shrug.

The rest of the night flew by for Harry as he absentmindedly did his homework and worked out with Ron. Professor Flitwick was less circumspect about his excitement and encouragement for Harry and Hermione to take up the extra coursework the next day. He mentioned in passing about how the Charms Club might not cover everything a witch or wizard would need to know. Both Harry and Hermione were more subdued during the class as they practiced with Ron and Neville on the Engorgement Charm.

"Harry, you and Hermione have been acting weird since Transfiguration yesterday. Did Professor McGonagall take points away from you?" Ron asked as they ate dinner.

"Did she give you more work, Harry? I know how much you hate getting more homework," Neville asked with a smirk.

"Close but this kind of homework would be self-inflicted," Harry joked as he pulled out the now very crinkled parchment. He passed it to Neville who made a choking sound.

"This… my Gran told me about this. Hogwarts doesn't give this offer lightly or often. Maybe one in a hundred students are given the option to take the Advanced Course and even fewer sit for all their O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. It is rumored that all the Unspeakables at the Ministry have at least attempted this though. Gran told me she got offered the chance but turned it down," Neville said after a minute.

Harry noticed Percy's head popped up when Neville spoke about the Advanced Course. He looked between Harry and Hermione with a complicated look on his face. After flashing Harry a smile, he went back to his food.

"Harry, Snape looked angrier than normal with you yesterday," Ron mused as he stirred his cauldron in the Study Classroom. He was brewing a Soothing Draught to help with his sore muscles with Harry's help. They'd focused hard on Ron's core, following the instructions in the book, after a light breakfast that morning.

"I might know why," Harry muttered as he watched the purple potion bubble away in the cauldron. "He'll have been told about the offer and knows I'll go for Potions if I accept." He listened to Hermione tutoring Neville in the sitting room. They were going to discuss how and when they would start trying to learn the material on Professor McGonagall's list after she finished.

"You're mental, mate," Ron muttered. "Just last year you preached how showing off and doing extra work was bad. Now you're considering spending time on some advanced course work or something. What about Quidditch?"

"Mate, you're the one that wants to try out. I'll go to support you but I don't want on the team," Harry countered.

"Why did you do all the exercises with me then?" Ron asked with a glare. "I thought you were going to compete against me for the Seeker's position."

"Wait? When did I say that? If anything, I want to be a Chaser. No, I did it because you're my friend and I wanted to support you. That… and the physical strain was fun."

"You're mental," Ron said with a sigh. "You really don't want to try for the Seeker spot? Mate, you fly better than I do on your worst day."

"No, I'll go to support you, but no, I don't want the spot. That goes double now. You've seen that list. Hermione and I will try to see how far we get before Halloween. If we can't handle the workload, then we'll see about next year. By the way, your potion is almost done simmering. Stir it clock-wise twice before taking it off the fire," Harry suggested as he turned his attention to his cauldron.

Harry and Hermione talked and decided to start learning the material immediately. They worked together to build another small room within the classroom, shrinking the sitting area down to a comfortable space by the door. Rows of targets and dummy statues were transfigured and placed at random spots around the small walled partition.

"That was well done," Hermione said as she focused on her dummy. She cast a Banishing Charm at the next dummy in the line. The statue flew back and bounced off the cushioned wall before crashing to the floor.

"Nice work," Harry praised and walked over to the long table nearest the opening to the small area. Five books were open to different pages along the table. Each book had a stack of parchments laid out beside it with various notes scribbled across the pages. "We've almost got the Banishing Charm down. I know the Freezing Spell already and you know the Cheering Charm. Just twenty more spells to master, their histories to learn, and the theoretical applications to memorize. Then we get to move on to Transfiguration, oh joy."

The next few days were a lesson in patience for Harry. Between Snape's attitude and Lockhart's insistence that Harry be a living prop for him to tell everyone how he saved the village from a werewolf, he struggled with his temper.

"Harry! Come on up here and show the class how good of a ghoul you are," Professor Lockhart praised as he beckoned Harry to the front of the class.

"Please, professor, maybe another…" Harry suggested trying to reason with the ridiculous professor's request.

"Nonsense! You are the wizard for the job. Hurry up, we don't have all class," the professor demanded with a dazzling smile.

"Harry, you can't curse the professor!" Hermione gasped as Harry vented his frustration later in the Study Classroom.

"Why not? I'm half convinced he couldn't fight his way out of a Flobberworm infestation," Harry shot back as he cast another Banishing Charm at the dummy in front of them in frustration.

On Wednesday, Harry was attacked by Malfoy and his two goons. "Time to be The-Boy-Who-Flew again, Potter!" Malfoy jeered as he drew his wand. They'd just left a double Potions class and were headed for Lockhart's classroom when Malfoy decided to attack.

Harry reacted with a practiced motion of pulling his wand from the dueling holster on his leg and blocked the spell with a Shield Charm. He didn't wait to enjoy the look of horror on Malfoy's face as the spell hit the ceiling. "Mimblewimble," he yelled, aiming for Malfoy's mouth. He shot a Knockback Jinx at Crabbe and missed the follow-up spell intended to disrupt Goyle.

"Expelliarmus," Harry said and hit Malfoy with his Disarming Charm. The spluttering blonde boy's wand flew out of his hand as he crashed to the floor. "I want to snap your wand but you aren't worth my time anymore, Draco," Harry taunted and threw the polished, brown wand to the ground.

He turned and walked away with his friends, putting his unworthy ex-rival out of his mind. Hermione was a far more skilled duelist than the Slytherin bully could ever dream of being. He heard jeers coming from the other Slytherin and Gryffindor second-years as Harry left the corridor.


	6. Chapter 6: Quidditch Tryouts

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 6: Quidditch Tryouts**

"Ron, get up," Harry called in a low voice. He sent a Stinging Jinx at Ron's arm that was dangling over the edge of his bed.

"Ow!" Ron said as he sat up. He shook his arm and rubbed at his skin. "I'm up, I'm up," he said and cursed as he fumbled around for his wand.

"Leniae," Harry muttered and healed his friend's arm. "I called you four times already," he explained with a shrug. "Tryouts are tomorrow so today is a light workout day."

"I can't believe it's already been two weeks," Ron muttered as he pulled on his trainers.

"You and me both," Harry muttered with a laugh. He'd been pushing himself hard mentally every day since receiving Professor McGonagall's offer. Hermione had the same dark bags under her eyes as he did.

"I still want you to try out, that way Wood will know you could be a backup player," Ron said as he turned to Harry. "I know you want to focus on learning all that stuff but this is _Quidditch_!"

Harry laughed a little and smiled. "I'll consider it," he answered with a shrug. It was tempting to try out to see how he'd do against other players outside of the few Hufflepuffs and Weasleys he'd played against.

"Neville got attacked by Zoe yesterday," Ron whispered as the two boys ascended the spiral stairs up to the common room.

"When?" Harry asked as he rounded on Ron.

"After Transfiguration when you and Hermione ran off to the classroom," Ron answered with a frown. "He didn't want me to tell you, but I wanted to make sure you knew. He fought her off but lost the impromptu duel."

"Thank you for letting me know," Harry answered with a frown. "We don't have enough time to use the Quidditch pitch today and get to breakfast before DADA. We'll practice some tonight though. Hermione and I could use a break."

"You're just now saying that? Mate, you two looked dead on your feet yesterday."

"We did the math. There are one hundred and fifty-one concepts on that list. Call it fifty-four days between now and Halloween. That gives us almost eight and a half hours to learn each concept. Learn and be able to master or understand it if we were tested on it," Harry said with a hollow laugh.

"Mate, you are mental. You said Professor McGonagall gave you until the end-of-term to learn all of those concepts! It wasn't even all of the concepts, you had to choose five subjects. Five, not all seven. Don't kill yourselves and try and cram all the knowledge right now," Ron argued.

"Yeah, that gives us about forty hours or so per concept barring any issues. However, we need to understand what our limits are."

"Mental," Ron complained as he gave a hollow laugh.

It took convincing, but Hermione agreed with Harry that they needed a rest night. Harry had dozed off in History of Magic that afternoon and Hermione hadn't scolded him because Ron reported she had fallen asleep into her hands too. She denied Ron's account but everyone saw the faint blush to her cheeks.

"You and Ron headed to the pitch?" one twin asked as Harry and Ron appeared with their brooms.

"Yeah, you guys headed down?" Harry asked as he looked at the twins and Angelina standing near the portrait.

"I heard someone had a Nimbus 2001," Angelina said with a wink.

"Harry got it… _oof_!" Ron gasped and cut off as Harry elbowed him in the ribs.

"Yeah, we do," Harry said and glared at his friend. He told Ron to keep quiet about how he got his broom for as long as possible. The twins let slip he'd bought the brooms, but few Gryffindors took Fred and George at their word without proof.

"Any chance I could try it out?" Angelina asked with a smirk as she looked between Harry and Ron.

"Sure, I'm exhausted as it is," Harry answered and followed behind the group as they left for the pitch.

"Harry, wake up, we've got thirty minutes before dinner," Ron said a little while later as he nudged Harry's shoulder.

"I'm up," Harry grumbled as he stretched. "How was your practice?" he asked as he blinked away sleep.

"Went well, Angelina doesn't want to give up your broom. You should show her how to really fly," Ron said with a laugh.

"Eh, maybe another time," Harry answered as he watched Angelina fly circles around Fred and George with a giant grin on her face.

"The tryouts are tomorrow at ten," Ron said as he mounted his broom again. "Are you still going to try out with me?"

"I can, but it's not really fair to Wood if he does want me on the team and I have to tell him no," Harry said after a minute. "I can cheer you on, but I don't think it would be wise to try out."

"I'll tell you what, fly against Angelina and let her make the decision," Ron said after a minute. He flew off without letting Harry respond. A few minutes later, Angelina and Ron came back and landed beside Harry on the stands.

"Ron says you don't want to try out because you don't want to be on the team," Angelina accused as she drew level with Harry.

"I'd like to focus on school, sorry," he responded with a sigh.

"I'm just messing with you, Harry. Ron just wants me to race you," Angelina said with a laugh.

"That I can do," Harry said and took Ron's offered broom. He kicked off and soared into the air. Angelina flew up to him a moment later.

"We'll go from one side of the pitch to the other then zig-zag the towers like you've seen us do in practice," Angelina yelled to him. "Try to keep up!" she said and shot off without warning.

Harry grinned and leaned as far forward on his broom as he could. He rocketed forward and closed with Angelina. She never looked back as she flew around the stadium. Harry waited until she cut across the Ravenclaw tower before he tried to pass her. He turned as close to the tower as he dared to find a better line to overtake the older student. His plan worked as he came up in front of her, keeping himself low on his broom to maximize the broom's speed.

Harry thought he heard Angelina yell something at him as he continued to fly the rest of the lap. He cut as close to the towers as possible and felt his robes catch against the wood and cloth of the towers as he passed. With his goal in sight, he looked over his shoulder and grinned as he saw Angelina leveling out after passing the last tower. He landed by Ron and the twins, both of who were staring at him as if he were a monster.

"You're mental," Ron muttered and the twins nodded as Harry passed Ron his broom back.

"That was fun," Harry said and turned to see Angelina skid to a halt beside them.

"_Why are you not on the team_!" she screamed at him and hugged him hard. "What can I do to convince you Quidditch is your calling and nothing else in the world matters?"

Harry laughed and shook his head. "Quidditch is fun and flying is better, but I want to focus on this project. Maybe next year," he answered with a shrug.

"Ugh!" Angelina huffed and threw up her hands. "Have your broom back then but I get your broom for the matches, no one else!" she demanded with a feral look in her eye.

Hermione was missing at dinner. Ginny said she saw Hermione go to bed hours ago and hadn't seen her since. Harry noticed Ginny's pinched face and paler than normal complexion. He hoped she was enjoying Hogwarts but didn't comment. Neville arrived late for dinner and wolfed down a plate.

"Professor Sprout was showing me the delicate Puffapods," Neville explained as they headed up to the common room.

"Ginny, could you take this plate up to Hermione?" Harry asked as he set the covered plate on the table. "I can't go up the stairs," he said when she gave him a quizzical look.

"Sure, Harry," Ginny muttered and ducked her head. "Could I join you guys one day in the classroom you are always talking about?"

Harry noticed the small strips of paper in Ginny's lap and realized what she was doing. "It's a group decision so I'll ask everyone," he answered, buying time for himself. "Tell you what I can do though. Let me work on something tonight and I'll give it to you in the morning."

"Uh, okay?" Ginny said as she frowned up at him. "I'll take Hermione her food."

Harry left the common room and went down to his dormitory. He opened his trunk and rooted around for his stack of letters containing his first-year flashcards. It took him a minute to find the right letter as it had fallen under the Dark Arts book near the bottom of his trunk. He took ten minutes to prepare five flashcards.

"Harry, making more flashcards?" Ron asked as he climbed into bed an hour later.

"Ginny was trying to make her own, smart, but I figured I would just let her use what we came up with last year," Harry said and looked up. "She asked to join us in the Study Classroom but I told her we'd vote on it."

Ron pulled a face and kicked off his trainers. "I don't a bunch of first-years hanging around us," he said with a snort. "You'll have a Harry Potter Fan Club before you know it."

"I'll pass on any fan clubs," Harry spat and shook his head. He knew Ron wouldn't want Ginny to join them and he agreed. He'd think of a way to let her down gently and hoped the magic flashcards would help soothe the sting of rejection. "Excited for tomorrow?"

"Make sure I'm up early and don't jinx me to get me up!" Ron yelled as he turned over in his bed. Minutes later, the sound of light snoring came from Ron's bed.

Harry worked a while longer on completing the flashcards and talked to Neville before his friend went to bed for the night.

The next morning, Ron woke up at Harry's first call. "I need to eat light… I've got my Soothing Tonic… how about a Cheering Charm, mate?" Ron babbled as he threw on his clothes at lightning speed. He tied his trainers on the wrong feet before realizing anything was wrong.

"You're already cheerful enough," Harry shot back with a laugh. "How about a Freezing Charm to cool you down?"

"I'll pass! I saw what happened to that dummy. You froze it solid and made it explode against the wall with a Banishing Charm," Ron accused with a shudder. "I'll pass on your offer to help this time."

They did a short workout session in the Study Classroom. Hermione joined them for a little bit before breakfast. She apologized for falling asleep and thanked Harry for sending her some food with Ginny.

"I fell asleep while Ron practiced yesterday," Harry said with a shrug. "We're exhausted from trying to get everything done. A couple more weeks and we'll see where we are at the start of October."

"It's all so interesting! I know we have all year and we're progressing at a fast pace, but I looked at Katie's schedule. We'll have nine classes next year with thirteen or fourteen written and practical exams, before whatever exams this Advanced Course will test us on. Five classes means another possible ten written and practical exams. That is twenty to twenty-four exams per year going forward."

Harry took a moment to check Hermione's math. He grimaced when he realized she was correct. "That's why we're basically learning this year and next year's coursework. If not…" he trailed off trying to comprehend how hard it would be to learn it all.

"Exactly," Hermione confirmed and sighed. "I got weary thinking about it yesterday and fell asleep."

"Oh, by the way, Ginny wanted to join us in here to study. Ron and I don't think it would be a good idea, but I promised her would ask everyone. It is a Study Club even if we aren't official."

"Hum," Hermione mused as she tapped her foot. "Is that why you were making first-year flashcards? To help Ginny but keep her away?"

Harry grimaced when he realized his ploy had been seen through. "Something like that," he admitted with a small shrug.

"Normally…" Hermione started then stopped as she gathered her thoughts. "Normally, I would want her to learn with us. I like teaching and you're a better teacher than you realize. However, I'm selfish and don't want anyone distracting us while we tackle this… project for lack of a better word."

"Speaking of flashcards, I was thinking we should do the same process we did last year. Take an afternoon to write all the information down so we can convert the questions and answers to flashcards. I figure you do one list and I'll do another list of the information we feel is important to memorize. We'll use my new enchanting process to keep things simple. That gives us seven cards to keep up with instead of the hundreds from last year," Harry suggested as he stretched out on the stuffed chair.

"You two talking about flashcards again?" Ron asked with a groan. He flopped onto another chair and closed his eyes.

"Don't get too comfortable, Ron. The tryouts are in a few hours," Harry warned with a smile. "I don't want to have to wake you because you were late."

Ron shot him a rude gesture without opening his eyes. "I won't fall asleep," he grumbled.

"Neville will be down at the pitch to watch after he checks on the plants in _Greenhouse 3_,"Hermione said as she opened one of the many books in the spell-work area.

Harry joined her and went over their checklist for Charms. He jotted down the information he wanted for his flashcard before time for breakfast. They woke Ron before they left. Harry laughed at his friend as they ate breakfast in the Great Hall. Ron argued with himself if he wanted to eat or wait until after the tryouts. In the end, he ate a plate of food, cursing himself for making poor choices.

Cormac McLaggen, a third-year Gryffindor student, swaggered onto the pitch where the Gryffindor team stood. Wood stood in front of a growing group of hopefuls. "Harry, you have to try out now! We can't let McLaggen on the team," Ron hissed as he drew closer.

Harry felt his neck prickle when he saw one of the Weasley twins holding a Nimbus 2001 and realized why Ron asked him for his broom. "You had this planned," Harry accused as he looked between the Weasley twins and Ron. "You let the twins borrow your broom so you could get my broom out here too so it wouldn't be suspicious."

"No way, mate!" Ron gasped and shook his head. "The twins nicked my broom so I needed to borrow yours."

Harry hummed in response and hear Hermione chuckle beside them. "Ron, I want to continue my studies. I can't be distracted by Quidditch," he explained as he looked at his friend.

"I know that! I didn't do anything!" Ron complained.

Harry and Hermione sat in the stands as Wood shouted his requirements to the hopefuls. It sounded a little like an oath to the team first before family and country to Harry. He wouldn't be surprised if Wood felt that way. It was another reason he didn't want to try out.

Wood opened up a Chaser, Keeper, or Seeker position depending on who made the cut. Katie Bell wanted to try out being a Seeker and would open her spot as a Chaser. Wood could play Chaser or Keeper but preferred Keeper. Ward left last term to open the Seeker's position. Ron glowed with excitement as he used Harry's broom to warm up.

Harry sat with Hermione and taught her the spells needed to enchant the flashcards. They were going to try and maximize their time over the weekend and still support their friend. "I'll start on my list and show you how I do it," he offered and looked over at Neville who'd just arrived. "How are the Puffapods?"

"They are doing great! Ginny asked me to join us in the Study Group this morning. I don't see why she couldn't join us. I know Fay expressed interest too when she was talking to Lavender the other day."

Harry and Hermione exchanged a look. "Ginny talked to me as well," Harry admitted. "I talked to Hermione this morning and I decided to vote against letting her in for now, or anyone else. Sorry, Neville, I'm a little selfish and want to focus on this," he continued and held up their checklist. "I know I'd still like to tutor you on Potions, and Ron too, if you two want. By the way, there is no way we wouldn't include you in the Herbology assignments. You probably already know most of this stuff."

"Thanks, guys," Neville said with a flush and a grin. "I thought you might leave me and Ron behind."

"Never," Harry and Hermione said at the same time. "I want to try to push my limits," Hermione said and smiled at Neville. "However, I don't want to push you, Ron, or Harry away. My friends are just as important as whatever I can learn from Hogwarts."

Harry blinked in surprise at his bushy-haired friend. He hadn't expected her to say that. Hermione's thirst for magical knowledge was almost as strong or stronger than his. After a moment of thinking, he realized he felt the same way about all three of his friends. "If it makes you feel any better, Neville. I feel the same way. I'll always have time to experiment and push myself but I enjoy being with my friends more."

"Touching," a cool voice called as a figure appeared in the doorway of the closest tower. Daphne Greengrass looked between Harry and his friends before her eyes locked on Harry. "A moment of your precious time?" she sneered.

Harry heard Neville snort and watched Hermione's back stiffen. "Sure," he called back and stood. He didn't have a bad impression of the blonde Slytherin witch. Daphne stepped back into the shadows and waited for Harry. "Yes?" Harry asked as he clutched his wand under his robe. He didn't dislike her but he didn't trust her either.

"This conversation didn't happen. For a price, I have information you will want to know," Daphne stated with a confident smile.

"What is the price and what guarantee do I have your information is worth it?" Harry shot back. He knew the game but was unaccustomed to playing it with a girl.

"My word as a daughter of the Sacred Twenty-Eight," Daphne answered with a smirk.

"Useless if this conversation didn't happen. Try again," Harry said with a shrug. Wording and promises were key to successful negotiations.

"What do you want then?" she asked, a look of concentration appearing on her face.

"Insurance," Harry answered with a shrug. "Incriminating information on you or an important token of yours."

Daphne stared at Harry as if she were looking at an interesting puzzle. "You would have done well in Slytherin. I'm not sure your terms are worth that price."

"You came to me," Harry reminded her with a grin. "You could and can leave at any time. You need something I can provide."

Daphne's eyes turned hard. "I don't _need_ anything from a Blood-traitor. You are and were a quick solution to a temporary problem," she spat and stuck out her chin. "I can't give you either as I've done nothing wrong, have nothing to be embarrassed about, or hold anything of significant importance."

"Information then," Harry shot back, a plan forming in his head. He hadn't had time to question the house-elves about Dobby and his suspicion about Mr. Malfoy's connection to the crazy house-elf. Everything could be confirmed easily if Daphne knew the answer.

"I'm listening," Daphne answered with a tight smile.

"The name of the house-elf or house-elves in Mr. Malfoy's employ," Harry said crossing his arms. "A test if you will to see if you truly know anything at all."

Daphne gave a soft snort. "Dobby. Draco, the imbecile, complains about not being able to hurt his house-elf more. He doesn't realize that he is ruining the Malfoy reputation with the house-elf community."

Harry's heart hammered as his suspicion was confirmed. "All right, I'll listen to your proposition," he said, trying to keep his voice even.

"Information is about Draco, coincidence I'm sure," Daphne said with a soft laugh. "Payment for the information is Draco's humiliation. It must be public."

"Making him lose more reputation?" Harry questioned as he mulled things over.

"His father is gaining support with the School Governors and if Mr. Malfoy pulls off whatever Draco is boasting about we could see strong change within the Slytherin ranks. You caused Draco to lose a lot of reputation last year and your short but effective duel caused him to lose even more this year."

"You want to capitalize on this and remove him as a rival for a strong position in a few years," Harry mused, continuing Daphne's explanation.

"You know more than you should about how the Slytherin system works for a Gryffindor." Daphne narrowed her eyes at him.

"The boy's dormitory at Providence worked a little like how the Slytherins do. Except, there were more physical fights than they were exchanges of words," Harry admitted with a shrug. "It paid to learn fast."

"I'll except on the condition we never speak of this," Harry said after a minute of deliberation. He knew Hermione would curse him into a puddle if she found out he deliberately humiliated Draco.

"Your word then," Daphne said with a wry grin. "Draco will attack one of your friends, probably Neville. This should give you a reason to protect your friend and fulfill your payment. Goodbye," she said and walked down the wooden stairs.

"What did she want?" Hermione asked when he sat down.

"A warning about Draco. I had to give up a little information but it's worth it. Neville, watch your back for the next few days. You too Hermione. My dismissal of him the other day made him mad. He may try and take it out on you three."

"I'd like to see him try," Hermione growled and waved her wand in front of her.

"Ron is about to try out for the Keeper position," Neville said into the silence.

Ron hovered in front of the three golden hoops at one side of the pitch. Angelina, Katie, and Alicia took turns making shots on goal. The redhead worked as hard as he could to block the Quaffle from getting in the goal. He used the strength and stamina he'd built up over the summer to keep up with the physical demands but didn't have the experience to outperform the experienced Chasers.

Ron landed next to the other hopefuls after blocking only half the shots. The rest either missed or went past him and through the hoop. Cormac jeered at Ron, knowing his turn would come next. The bulky boy did well in blocking many of the shots the Chasers sent his way. Harry knew Cormac would make a decent Keeper but Wood was better.

Ron opted out of the Chaser trials because of his smaller frame versus the older students who were trying out. Cormac didn't do well and dropped the Quaffle a lot when pressed by Angelina and Alicia. Fourth-year Kenneth Towler flew well but had trouble working together with the other Chasers.

Three people tried out for the Seeker position. Ron went first and had to fly against Katie. Harry was impressed with his friend's flying skill although he knew some of it was the Nimbus 2001's superior capabilities over the slower broom. He wasn't going to complain if it gave his friend even the slightest edge. Ron caught the Snitch first, winning his match against Katie.

"Well done, mate," Harry praised as Ron landed beside them in the stands.

"This broom is so amazing! Thank you, Harry. Without it, I wouldn't have won," Ron admitted with a broad grin stretching his face.

Wood called the tryouts to a close and deliberated with the team on one end of the field. It was well past lunchtime and Harry heard his stomach rumble. "What do you think Wood will decide?" he asked Neville and Hermione.

"Hard to say," Neville muttered. "I think he'll either go with Cormac as the Keeper or Ron as the Seeker."

"I agree," Harry muttered and crossed his fingers.

Wood's amplified voice carried across the stadium. "Thank you for coming out to tryout this year. Everyone gave it their all. We've talked it over and have voted on the next Gryffindor Quidditch Team Player."

A hushed silence fell over the stadium as the hopefuls held their breath. "Please step forward… _Ronald Weasley the __new__ Gryffindor Seeker_!" Wood shouted to applause from the stands and the Gryffindor team.

"Favoritism! Bloody _favoritism_!" Cormac yelled at the top of his lungs.

"While I don't have to explain myself, I will," Wood said after a moment. "Our Chasers are the best in Hogwarts and I was hesitant to change that dynamic. You protected the goals well, Cormac, but it comes down to what will benefit the team the most. Thank you all for coming out and congratulations again, Ron."

Harry laughed and clapped his friend on his back once they'd made their way down to the pitch. Ron stood tall and talked to his twin brothers with a huge smile. Katie and Angelina hovered close by, eyeing the brooms in the boy's hands. Hermione gave Ron a hug while Neville awkwardly grinned and waved.

"You out-flew Angelina?" Alicia asked Harry as everyone headed back up to the castle.

"I don't know about out-flew. She was going easy on me," Harry answered with a shrug.

"The twins wanted you on the team," she accused and looked over at Ron who was talking animatedly to Hermione. "Can you really fly better than Ron?"

"Who knows," he answered with a laugh. "Ron will give it his all and more. That is something I can't promise right now."

"You'll still come to the practices?" she asked, hooking her arm under his and batting her eyelashes at him.

"I'll do what I can," Harry answered, feeling his face heat up.

After his last class on Monday, Harry decided to act on the information he'd received from Daphne. He didn't attack Malfoy, who avoided Harry whenever possible, but instead headed for Professor McGonagall's classroom. "Professor, do you have a moment?" he asked as he opened the door. Professor McGonagall sat behind her desk grading essays.

"What can I do for you, Mr. Potter?" she answered as she put her quill down.

"Could I see the Headmaster? I think I have information he will want," Harry said and winced when he saw her lips draw into a tight line.

"Information a twelve-year-old boy has that Professor Dumbledore needs? Could you tell me whatever it is you need?" Professor McGonagall asked and sat straighter in her chair.

"It's more a warning and speculation, but…" Harry trailed off debating if he wanted to tell his Head of House.

"Mr. Potter, I think we can both agree you are unsure of the validity of your information. If you are hesitating this much, then are you prepared to bring this information forward to Albus? He is away at the Ministry at a meeting for the School Governors. You are very smart, Mr. Potter. Come back with a solid case and I will escort you to the Headmaster myself."

Harry left feeling a weight in his stomach. He knew Professor McGonagall was right to some degree. There wasn't hard proof Mr. Malfoy was up to something at Hogwarts and the testimony of a house-elf held little sway in any court. He promised himself to let the Headmaster know as soon as he saw him next.

Ron acted like a prat for the next few days. He showed off whenever he could and embellished the truth on how well he performed at the tryouts. Fred cursed him one night when he wouldn't shut up in the common room. Harry let Ron gloat and celebrate because he knew how hard his friend worked to get the position.

Gilderoy Lockhart replaced Voldemort on Harry's most-hated-people list. The smiling buffoon attempted to use Harry in every Defense Against the Dark Arts class as a prop or someone to act out a scene with. Around the end of September, he handed Harry a roll of toilet paper and expected Harry to dress up like a mummy. To top it all off, Professor Lockhart kept hinting at having Harry join him on one of his flights of fancy to take on the rumored ghost of Rasputin somewhere in Russia. Harry gave the professor a withering look and wished the handsome wizard would pick someone else to bother.

Hermione found it great fun to pick on Harry after every Defense class. They were making excellent progress on the checklist while keeping up with the second-year workload. Neville asked for some help but he remained serious about his studies. His schoolwork didn't stop him from running off to the greenhouses whenever possible, but he did put forth a lot of effort on his essays and homework.

Ron turned his attention to Quidditch with an unhealthy fervor. Harry heard Wood scolding Ron for trying to force his ideas on the team during practice. Ron accepted his Captain's decision and held his comments until he was alone with his friends. Harry pulled Ron aside one day and asked him if he was going to ignore his school work.

"Harry, this is so important! More important than any dumb Potions essay that I'll get a Dreadful on," Ron explained with a huff. "Listen, I really need you to race me so I can get better on the broom. I've watched you at practice messing around but I want to see how you do it."

Harry sighed and looked at his friend. "I'll be at evening practice tomorrow," he said with a shrug. He'd talk to Hermione about taking the night off or at least using the night as a review night. They hadn't had a review night in the last few days.

Malfoy made the mistake of attacking Neville while he was in _Greenhouse 2_. Harry didn't see what happened but Neville, Hannah Abbott, and Roger Davis all told him their accounts. Malfoy waited until Professor Sprout left to make his move. He strode in with Crabbe and Goyle, berating Neville for being weak and a coward. Neville dismissed Malfoy but drew his wand under his robes after Harry's warning Malfoy might attack him. Hannah said Neville told Malfoy to leave but Roger said Neville called Malfoy a ponce.

Malfoy drew his wand and was going to curse Neville when the round-faced boy struck first. A Freezing Charm hit Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, making their movements slow to a crawl. He walked in front of each of them and used a Knockback Jinx to send them flying into the manure and soil mixture Professor Sprout had been working on.

"Neville, I am so proud of you," Harry gushed and gave his friend a bear hug. He wasn't joking or trying to make his friend feel better. They had worked on the Freezing Charm a few days earlier and Neville had yet to master it when they left the Study Classroom for bed.

"Oh, Neville, you have a week's detention in the greenhouses with Professor Sprout," Hermione spluttered as she read the note. "You lost thirty points for attacking the Slytherins but you say Professor Sprout gave you twenty points back for picking up a watering can?" She sounded half-angry and half-amused by the biased outcome of the confrontation.

"She may have given me another ten points when I passed her a trowel before I left," Neville admitted with a flushed face.

Harry roared with laughter as he pulled his friend over to the spell-work section of the room to have Neville demonstrate his mastery of the Freezing Charm.

Professor Snape maintained a hard pace for his class. He spent little time on lectures or review topics. Most of his lectures focused on ingredients and how they interacted with potions. On Wednesdays, the Potion Master would assign the class to brew one of the many beginner or advanced potions from their book. Harry had little trouble keeping up and relished the lecture time for a change. The professor still hated him, but he was teaching him Potions. Harry learned to never ask questions as he would get scolded or berated for not already knowing all the material. He would write everything down and look up any questions he had after the class.

"Professor Snape talks about things the books don't mention," Harry commented one night in the Study Classroom. Harry's friends froze as they turned in unison to look at him. "What?" he asked as he noticed their stunned faces.

"You called Snape, Professor Snape, mate," Ron goggled as the quill on his parchment slid to the side, leaving a long black mark on the page.

"Sure, he's us teaching now isn't he?" Harry asked with a smirk. He realized what he'd said and fought not to laugh at himself.

"You hate, Snape though," Ron muttered as he looked down. He cursed and picked up his quill, glaring at the tip.

"I don't hate him. I don't like him, but I don't hate him. I hated the fact he wouldn't teach anything last year," Harry hedged with a shrug.

"That's not how I remember it, mate," Ron said with a laugh. "Can you spend some time with me this weekend? I really want to work on getting faster and turning harder," he asked and looked between Harry and Hermione.

"Your practice is on Saturday around ten right?" Harry asked as he pulled out Hermione's study schedule. She'd taken the time to map out their progress before Halloween. "Sure, I can help for a few hours before lunch."

"Brilliant, mate! Sorry to keep bothering you but Fred and George don't explain it the way you do. I just want to make sure I'm the best," Ron explained. Everyone gave him a strained smile.

Harry caught up to Daphne between class after Neville's confrontation with Malfoy. "It will happen soon," he muttered as he brushed past her. Zoe yelled something at him for bumping into Daphne and Pansy Parkinson called him a Blood-traitor.

"Malfoy, I hope you don't have anywhere you need to be," Harry called out as he cast a Full-Body Bind Curse at the Slytherin after Potions class on Friday. In a rare stroke of luck, he caught Malfoy alone in the corridor as he left the bathroom. Malfoy froze and pitched forward, hitting his nose on the floor.

"Mr. Potter, come with me," Professor McGonagall called into the common room that night after dinner.

Harry walked behind the stern professor as she led him toward her classroom. She closed the door behind them and took a seat at her desk. "Explain what happened tonight," she demanded as she narrowed her eyes at Harry.

"I'm not sure what you mean, professor," Harry lied with a straight face. He knew Malfoy would squeal which is why he took extra time to make his detention worth it.

"Mr. Draco Malfoy was found in the Entrance Hall after dinner. A Sticking Charm was placed on him and he was affixed to the Slytherin Hourglass upside down. His robes were changed to be scarlet red, a flaming A was enchanted over the Slytherin House Symbol on his robes, and he had writing all over his body. Blood-traitor, Mudblood Lover, and Squib Sympathizer were a few of the words written on his body with an unknown black substance. Filch found Mr. Malfoy and rushed to find a professor. The entire school knows of the incident as four fireworks went off when Mr. Malfoy was removed from the hourglass. I would like an explanation as to why Mr. Malfoy said it was you who attacked him out of nowhere and it was you who wrote those terrible things on him," Professor McGonagall demanded, her voice growing louder.

"I have nothing to say about the matter," Harry answered with a shrug. "Sorry, professor," he finished and meant it. He didn't enjoy what he did to Malfoy and it wasn't his style of handling problems, but Daphne warned him and he gave her his word.

"I see," the professor hissed, her eyes narrow. "I see. You will serve detention for a week and I will dock fifty points from Gryffindor for your actions. I'm disappointed in you. I expected better from you."

Harry raised an eyebrow and struggled not to comment. He wondered if they took Malfoy's word or if they used some method to ensure the Slytherin was telling the truth. "I understand," he said after realizing Professor McGonagall wanted him to say something.

Harry received a letter from a school owl the next morning from an anonymous writer. The sender wrote "Debt Cleared," in refined, looping handwriting. He'd been yelled and screamed at by an irate Hermione when he told her the news. She couldn't understand why he would attack Malfoy and take a chance of losing all their hard work. "She could have taken away the chance for you to participate in the advanced course! How could you be so stupid!" she spat at him before going to bed early.

Harry lay awake late into the night mulling over his decision to work with Daphne. He regretted it and didn't at the same time. On one hand, he would do whatever he could to protect his friends while on the other he hated the idea of losing the opportunity to push himself to learn more magic. He consoled himself with the knowledge that if they denied him the chance that he could still learn on his own.

His detention would be served with Professor Snape from Sunday to Saturday of the next week. Hermione was reluctant to speak to him on Saturday, still angry with him but wanting to continue to push them harder. Her form of punishment for him was to cram as much information as they could before his detention lost them valuable time. She kept giving him angry glances and sarcastic comments about how much more they could cover if he didn't go off and be a prat. Harry didn't defend himself, having already accepted his decision.

"Ron, you need to keep low on the broom and trust yourself," Harry instructed as they hovered high above the Quidditch pitch. "If you fall off your broom, the worse that will happen is you break your neck."

"Then we'll lose the match!" Ron shouted and hit the top of his broom in frustration. "How do you fly so fast?!" he questioned in an angry tone.

"I just feel the wind. You can tell where the air is lighter even when flying at max speed. I'm just glad you got me these goggles. I hated having to use a Sticking Charm to hold my glasses to my face."

"You can't feel anything but cold air," Ron muttered and shook his head. "You should have my spot."

"I don't want your spot, Ron. You earned your spot, work to keep it," Harry challenged.

"Your bloody right I earned it. You said lighter air. Let me try and find this magical lighter air," Ron huffed and leaned far forward on his broom. He rocketed off from one end of the pitch to the other. The broom zigzagged and cut back and forth at random angles as he tried to find lighter air pockets. Harry felt exasperated with himself. He wasn't sure he was explaining correctly what felt natural to him.

"I feel like I'm going faster in the colder streams of air," Ron announced after multiple laps around the pitch.

"Let's see then. Whenever you're ready, go ahead and do a lap. I'll try and beat you," Harry suggested.

While Harry beat Ron by flying at tighter and more controlled angles, it was harder to pass his friend at the end of the lap. "I think you've got it now," Harry praised as they landed next to the twins.

"We're going to do some practice with the Bludgers. Fancy a game of dodge the Bludger?" one twin asked with a huge grin.

"Are you mental? Of course, I want to!" Ron yelled and jumped back on his broom. Harry sighed and lifted back off the ground.

A black ball screamed past Harry's face as he ducked the first Bludger that almost hit him full on. "They are after me!" he yelled to one of the twins as he flew by.

"We aren't hitting them!" the twin yelled back and tried to swing at a passing Bludger to knock it away from Harry.

Harry flipped, rolled, spun, stopped, and dove to get away from both bewitched Bludgers. He couldn't get to his wand to protect himself and every time he got near the ground a Bludger would slam into the ground and bounce toward him. Large divots of compacted grass littered the pitch as Harry tried to use one of the towers as cover. A black ball slammed into the wooden support beam, splintering the large timber in the middle. He shivered as he imagined the Bludger hitting him with that much force.

"We'll use the locker room!" Ron yelled as he flew past Harry. He ducked a Bludger that was aiming for Harry with ease. "Fred is landing by the locker room to close the door. George will try and knock them off course to buy you time, Harry," he called as he flew under Harry.

Harry dodged both Bludgers and lay flat on his broom, aiming for the Gryffindor locker room. George appeared out of nowhere and hit a black ball away from Harry as he drew level with the stands. Harry felt something slam into his back as he leveled out. With a cry and pain lancing down his back, he tumbled off his broom and tried to cover his head as he hid the ground. A rough hand seized his robes as he was drug into a warm room.

Fred slammed the doors closed and put his back to it. Two loud thuds echoed around the room as Harry tried to move his unresponsive limbs. He cried out as he tried to grip his wand in his numb fingers. "Duro," he gasped through the pain and tried to aim his wand at the door. The spell hit the closest bench and turned it to stone.

"Brilliant!" Fred yelled and cast the Hardening Charm on the locker room door. "It might hold them for a bit," he said and ran over to Harry.

"You look like a mess, mate. Ron is supposed to head up to the school to get help once you were inside. I think I still hear those cursed Bludgers trying to break through the door," Fred muttered.

A few minutes later, they heard a crumbling sound from the stone doors. One of the doors had a large crack from the top hinge to the top corner of the door. "That isn't good," Fred muttered.

Harry could barely hear Fred and tried to fight through the pain in his upper torso and arms. He felt nothing below his waist and was scared of what it might mean. His head pounded and he couldn't see out of his right eye. He knew his glasses broke at some point and hoped the glass hadn't blinded him.

There were two more ominous thumps before everything went quiet. The inner door opened and Professor McGonagall walked in the locker room, her wand raised. "Oh my!" she gasped as her eyes locked with Harry's good one. "Rolanda is dealing with the bewitched Bludgers," she explained as she waved her wand at Harry. "Off to the Hospital Wing! Fred, grab his broom."

Harry felt himself lifted off the ground and pain blossomed through his body. He cried out before a bright flash of red light hit him in the chest and everything went dark. "He has multiple breaks all over his body, a severe concussion, and damage to his eye," a familiar voice called to him out of the darkness. He groaned as he tried to move.

"Do not move, Mr. Potter. You are in the Hospital Wing from your accident on the pitch," Madam Pomfrey instructed.

Harry felt a hand hold his shoulder down on the bed. "Bludger," he gasped out.

"Yes, Rolanda told me it was a bewitched Bludger that attacked you but gravity caused most of your injuries," Madam Pomfrey answered in a light tone. "You'll be happy to know there is no scarring this time and you will be able to walk again by tomorrow. Your vision in your right eye will be healed by Monday. For now, rest and relax. You've had a hard day."

Harry tried to say something but felt the lip of a bottle forced into his mouth. He tried not to swallow the sludge but couldn't muster the strength. Dizzy and confused, his thoughts turned sluggish as darkness descended again.

A noise brought him out of the darkness of sleep. His vision cleared as he looked around the room with his good eye. A blurry sobbing house-elf banged its head against the railing on his bed. "Dobby," he croaked, his throat feeling dry and scratchy. He reached for his glasses on the bedside table.

"Harry Potter is awake," Dobby said, his large eyes looking up at Harry. "The Bludgers didn't kill Harry Potter, Dobby is happy. Dobby was scared they would," the house-elf cried as he clutched at Harry's hand.

"Bludgers?" Harry questioned, his mind struggling to focus. "You did this?" he asked after a moment.

"Harry Potter came back to school," Dobby whispered, his ears drooping. "Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. Ah sir, why didn't you listen to Dobby? Why didn't Harry Potter go back to the Burrows when he missed the train?"

"You were the house-elf that tampered with the barrier," Harry stated as he put on his glasses. His vision focused and his head cleared. "You're Lucius and Draco Malfoy's house-elf. Here to finish me off?" he questioned as he tried to go for his wand.

"Oh no, sir! Dobby didn't want to kill Harry Potter! Dobby respects Harry Potter. Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter. Dobby sealed the gateway and ironed his hands after," the house-elf muttered. "Why did Harry Potter come back to Hogwarts. Dobby was so shocked he let master's dinner burn! Dobby has new scars for the mistake, sir."

"I should curse you for causing all my current problems," Harry muttered as he listened to the babbling house-elf.

"Dobby is used to threats, sir. Dobby gets death threats three times a day."

Harry sighed as he thought about what Daphne told him about Draco's desires. "Why did you bewitch the Bludger?" he asked after a minute.

"Dobby wanted to send Harry Potter home. Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!" the house-elf cried. Fat droplets of tears ran down his tiny face.

"You've had a hand in whatever Lucius wants? Is that how you know…" Harry started to ask before Dobby's wails cut him off.

"Dobby cannot say! Dobby is forced to not say! Dobby didn't want to do it!" the distraught house-elf babbled. "Dobby must save Harry Potter! He means too much to us lowly dregs of the magical world! The enslaved and hated by wizards. Terrible things will happen at Hogwarts and Harry Potter must be saved."

"I don't need saving, Dobby. I have Albus Dumbledore."

"Harry Potter does not know, he does not know! The Chamber of Secrets will get the Head…" Dobby started before he froze, his eyes going wide. "_Bad Dobby_! _Bad Dobby_!" he screeched and slammed his head against the side-table.

"Immobulus," Harry gasped out as he poked his want out from under the sheets. The blue spell struck the distraught house-elf, making him slow down. "Stop hurting yourself, Harry Potter demands it," he called with as much strength behind his words as he could muster.

It took a few seconds for the spell to wear off. Dobby stood up, his eyes wide as he stared at Harry. "You stopped Dobby. Harry Potter is a greater wizard than Dobby realized."

"I won't ask you any hard questions, but are you able to get a message to me when whatever happens starts?" Harry asked. "Don't answer if it will cause you to hurt yourself again."

"If Harry Potter knew! If he only knew!" Dobby cried into the sheets of Harry's bed.

A cold feeling gripped Harry's chest as he tried to piece the clues together. "The danger is already here or was here before we got to Hogwarts this year," he muttered to himself.

A loud sound came from the Hospital Wing doors. Dobby looked at Harry and clicked his bloodied fingers together. The house-elf disappeared with a quiet pop. "Is everything okay, Mr. Potter?" Madam Pomfrey called into the dark room.

"Yes ma'am, do you know if Professor Dumbledore is back in the school? I have something urgent I need to tell him," Harry asked.

"I don't know, but dear you need to get some rest. Whatever it is can wait until morning," Madam Pomfrey said in a soothing voice. She checked him over and ignored his insistence to speak to Dumbledore.


	7. Chapter 7: The Writing on the Wall

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 7: The Writing on the Wall**

Harry wanted to scream and yell at Madam Pomfrey for refusing to let him leave until he could see out of both eyes. The Oculus Potion tasted horrible as he drank it down and waited for his eyesight to return. Hermione, Ron, and Neville visited him while he waited. He told them everything that he'd learned from Dobby.

"Those Bludgers could have killed you!" Hermione gasped and looked him over.

"They wanted you bad, mate. The Bludgers just kept bouncing off the stone door over and over with a single-minded purpose," Ron said as he told his side of the story.

"I wonder if Dobby heard from Lucius about me when I humiliated Draco," Harry mused, trying to put a timeline to the events they knew. "I've got a rough idea of when things are happening but I don't know what the Chamber of Secrets is. It sounds familiar, but I can't remember where I read it."

"_Hogwarts: A History_," Hermione said after a few minutes. "I've left my copy at home but I'll bet the library has one. I remember reading something about the Slytherins."

"Salazar Slytherin was rumored to have built the Chamber of Secrets before leaving the castle during his dispute with the other founders," Harry said after a minute. Hermione jogged his memory when she said the book title. "I think that's what it said, anyway. We'll check the library before I go to Professor Dumbledore. He has to know about this!"

"I'll go check the library while you wait for Madam Pomfrey to clear you," Hermione announced and got up. She ran out of the Hospital Wing as Ron and Neville shared a look.

"You think it that serious? Could Dobby be pulling your leg, mate?" Ron asked after a minute.

"No, Dobby punished himself for every infraction against his Master's will," Neville interrupted. "Very old and powerful house-elf magic."

"You weren't there, Ron. He seemed to worship me for some reason. I haven't done anything for him or the house-elves though," Harry said with a sigh.

Two hours later, the four of them sat at a table in the library. "You were right, Harry," Hermione greeted as she passed him the book. "It was a rumor and no one has found it since the writing of the book some two hundred years ago."

"At least I have something concrete to go to Professor Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall about now. I wonder if she'll believe me," Harry spat and sat back in his chair. "Detention starts tonight at eighteen-thirty."

"We'll take the week to focus on the coursework for this year to make sure we keep our grades up," Hermione consoled. "When are you going to try to talk to the Headmaster?"

"As soon as I get this copied onto a piece of parchment," Harry answered and took the book to Madam Pince to borrow for the day.

He found Professor McGonagall in her classroom grading papers twenty minutes later. "Professor, may I see the Headmaster now? I have enough evidence for both of you now I know who bewitched the Bludgers."

"You found this out while you were in the Hospital Wing?" Professor McGonagall questioned as she peered over her papers at him. "Sufficient evidence aside, the Headmaster is in America attending an International Confederation of Wizards conference. Albus is the Supreme Mugwump and must attend all major meetings. He will be gone until the middle of the week."

Harry sighed and shook his head. He realized the Headmaster had a lot of demands on his time, but he still hoped Dumbledore would have time to listen to his worries and fears. "Thanks, professor," he said and turned to leave.

"You could tell me, Mr. Potter. I am the Deputy Headmistress," Professor McGonagall called to him. "I'm very interested in anyone who wants to bewitch a Bludger to attack another student."

Harry turned and shrugged. "Not a student, a house-elf trying to save me from whatever will happen at Hogwarts, professor. The same house-elf that blocked the barrier at King's Cross and is terrified of me being at Hogwarts this year," he said in an off-hand way as he turned back around.

"A house-elf? A house-elf bewitched the Bludgers to attack you… to save you? I think you need to take a seat and explain," the stern witch said as she put her papers down. She looked at Harry's face and crossed her hands on her desk.

Harry sat down and told the professor everything he knew and had found out during the year. From his first meeting with Dobby, to the encounter with Mr. Malfoy at Diagon Alley, and ending with the house-elf's confession of why he set the Bludgers on Harry. Once he started, he found he couldn't stop. Professor McGonagall did not move or interrupt him as he told his story.

"You said Dobby mentioned the Chamber of Secrets? Are you sure?" the professor asked in a tight voice.

"I don't remember exactly what he said but he mentioned the Chamber, yes. We looked it up. Salazar Slytherin was rumored to have built the chamber before he left Hogwarts and left a 'horror within' behind to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic. _Hogwarts: A History_ didn't go into a lot of detail after that."

"Did Dobby say who, how, or what would open the Chamber?" Professor McGonagall asked in a sharp voice. "Try to remember, it could be important."

"No, I think he was going to say the Chamber of Secrets would hurt the Headmaster in some way. I don't know if it meant physically or politically. Remember when I said Mr. Malfoy was trying to gain power with the governors?"

"I'm very interested in how you obtained that little bit of information," the professor mused with a tight smile. "We Heads of Houses talk and it didn't escape my notice that after Draco was humiliated, his position within the Slytherin hierarchy plummeted. Severus commented on the suspicious rise of two other Slytherin future candidates for Heir-Apparent."

Harry shrugged and kept his face blank. "I don't know about the Slytherin hierarchy other than what I've read about in books. I'm just looking at the facts I know and speculating on what I suspect."

Professor McGonagall hummed as she eyed Harry. "Thank you for placing your trust in me by telling me your suspicions. I am not dismissing your observations or the fact you were hurt when I say this, but there could be more going on than you realize. Dobby could be a misdirection or simply mad. It is not uncommon for a house-elf to be driven to insanity because of wizards."

Harry sighed but nodded. "I've had the same questions. Providence taught us to look at all possible scenarios given. There are numerous examples of deception in war that led to overwhelming victories. If Dobby is a red herring, however dangerous he's proven to be, then I hate to think what the real threat is."

Professor McGonagall frowned at him and sat forward in her chair. "That is a remarkably astute observation, however, you are a twelve-year-old boy and shouldn't have enemies like that. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does not count," she said to interrupt Harry's rebuttal.

"We'll see," Harry muttered, the ball of nerves in his stomach refused to loosen by talking to Professor McGonagall.

"I will inform the Headmaster of your troubles. Rest and recuperate from this incident. How are you and Hermione coming along with the list I gave you?" Professor McGonagall asked as Harry stood.

He froze and looked over the stern witch's face. The conflicting stern demeanor and deep concern the professor displayed confused him on a regular basis. "We're coming along," he hedged after thinking it over. Hermione would flay him with a butter knife if he said they were doing well only to be unable to match the professor's expectations. It was obvious she valued Professor McGonagall's approval as much as she had Professor Flitwick's the year before.

"Continue to work hard and stay out of trouble, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said with a slim smile.

Harry returned to his friends and told them about his conversation with the professor. "I just wish I could tell Dumbledore myself," he said as he slapped his fist on the table.

Ron looked up and gave him a quizzical look. "Mate, just send him a letter with Hedwig," he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm an idiot," Harry sighed and banged his head on the table over and over.

"While I won't disagree with you… doesn't that hurt?" Neville asked with a small smile.

"Yes, that's the point," Harry shot back and rubbed his forehead. "I'll go write a letter now!"

"You may want to get Hedwig some treats. You've neglected her," Hermione supplied with a small grin.

Harry groaned, knowing his friend was right. He'd visited Hedwig twice every week last term but hadn't seen her once so far. "I'll, uh… find something nice for her," he muttered as he wandered off toward the kitchens.

Hedwig ignored him for ten minutes despite his apologies. He finally tempted his angry owl over to him with the promise of three treats and to visit her three times a week. The snowy white owl hooted at him and nipped his fingers as a last show of protest when she took the treats. Harry gently petted his owl, marveling at Hedwig's soft feathers.

"I have a letter for Professor Dumbledore, but I understand if you don't want to take it," he said as Hedwig spun her head around to look at him. He had the feeling she was weighing his words before answering in her own way.

Hedwig nipped his finger gently and raised her foot a moment later. She flapped her wings at him as if to tell Harry to hurry up. Harry took out the letter and tied it to Hedwig's leg. He pet her for a few more minutes before she shook her wings, buffeting him away. Hedwig spread her wings wide and took off with a burst of speed. Harry watched as the white dot over the forest disappeared into the bright sky.

"Glad you didn't try out of the team if you fall off your broom, Potter," Cormac yelled from the other side of the common room.

"I'd like to see you get away from two bewitched Bludgers," Harry shot back as he headed for the portrait hole.

"A likely story for a liar. You and those Weasley blighters came up with the lie."

"Go back to polishing your broom, Cormac," Harry shot back as he left the common room.

Cormac wasn't the only person to believe that he fell off his broom. While he had fallen off his broom, it was because a Bludger broke his hip. Malfoy played up Harry's incompetence every time he could bring it up in a conversation. Many of the Gryffindors didn't believe the malicious rumor, but many of the rest of the students did. Some jeered at him while others offered their sympathies for his accident.

"Don't let them bother you, Harry," George said at lunch.

"Oh, I don't care what they think. I've been thinking about some other things is all," Harry answered with a shrug. "They weren't there and didn't have to fly for their lives. It might be amusing to watch them try."

"No, it wouldn't," Fred responded with a hollow laugh. "Harry, you should have been on the team. Sorry Ron, but I don't think any of us on the team could have performed half as well as Harry did."

"No, I agree," Ron said with a sigh. "Harry it was horrifying and awe-inspiring. You're a genius on a broom, mate. Just don't go taking my position before I can at least play one game," he said with a nervous chuckle.

"Ron, the position is yours. I'm working on what I want to. Frankly, I'm not leaving the ground again until I'm sure no more Bludgers will come after me."

"Does this mean I get to use your broom?" Angelina said as she sat beside Harry. "We believe you," she said as she pointed to herself and the other two Gryffindor Chasers farther up the table. Alicia and Katie waved to Harry. "Madam Hooch checked over every Bludger, Quaffle, and Snitch in the castle to make sure nothing else was tampered with. She was livid."

"Thanks and if you think it will help, sure, I don't mind the team using my broom," Harry answered.

"You don't know how much that means to us," a deep voice said as Wood plopped down on the bench beside Ron. "Bad news… Draco Malfoy is the Slytherin Seeker now. Higgs was replaced last night by Malfoy. It was a public and disgusting display of wealth and power. Lucius Malfoy bought the entire Slytherin team Nimbus 2001s."

"What!"

"Bloody Hell,"

"You're joking!"

The Gryffindors yelled their disbelief and anger to Wood's words. "Two key positions having Nimbus 2001s will help our team offset the speed difference. Our players are loads better than the Slytherins, but a good broom can offset skill sometimes."

Draco strutted around for the rest of the day talking loudly about his new appointment as the Slytherin Seeker. Harry ignored him but Ron seemed to take it as a personal insult. "I've got detention with Professor Snape tonight and have class with him first thing tomorrow," Harry groaned and closed his book. "Hermione, I know you said we should take the week off but how about study sessions before breakfast and during lunch?"

"I'm still not happy with you," Hermione spat but sat straighter in her chair. "Seven days of detention and seven subjects we could work on. We'll ignore History of Magic and Astronomy. Potions takes too long to brew. So, four review classes. Charms and Defense in the morning and Transfiguration and Herbology at lunch, then?"

"Works for me," Harry answered with a shrug. He pulled out his enchanted flashcards. "I'm not looking forward to History of Magic," he admitted.

"It isn't so bad," Hermione answered with a grin. "Let us know how your detention goes tomorrow."

Professor Snape was waiting for him in his classroom. The hook-nosed professor sneered at Harry as he pointed to a stack of cauldrons in the corner. Harry nodded and pulled out his Dragon-hide gloves to protect his hands while he scrubbed the cauldrons clean. He almost laughed aloud when he realized the gloves would have protected his hand from Norbert's nip the year before. The smell of charred Flubberworms wafted up from the cauldron, making him cough and wrinkle his nose.

"What potion failed in that cauldron you're cleaning?" a sharp voice called from behind Harry.

When he looked up, he met Professor Snape's dark eyes glaring at him. He was about to speak when the Potion's Master spoke again. "You have one chance to answer correctly. Incorrect answers will add more time to your detentions. Correct answers will lessen the time. I can't be bothered to have you in my class longer than I have to."

Harry felt the hair on his neck prickle as an excited feeling bubbled up in his stomach. "One moment, professor," he said and turned back to the cauldron. He made sure to keep cleaning but focused hard on the question. Professor Snape was not known for his patience. "Cure for Boils, sir," he answered after a minute. He spotted partially dissolved snake fangs crusted to the edge of the cauldron.

"Valerian sprigs can be used in medicine. What is the method of extraction for the Fire-Breathing Potion?" Professor Snape questioned without telling Harry if he was correct or not.

"Crushing the sprigs to drain the oil out of the roots. After draining, clean off remove any leftover oil because the oil will dilute the Fire Seeds' potency. The crushed root helps the lavender act as a soothing agent for the throat," Harry answered after a moment. The Fire-Breathing Potion was advanced and dangerous to brew because of how volatile it was even after the brewing process was complete.

"I give you six snake fangs, four standard measures of Standard Ingredient, six Billywig stings, and two sprigs of Wolfsbane. What do I expect you to brew?"

Harry felt the sweat pour down his face as he tried to focus on cleaning the cauldrons and answer the Potion Master's question. He wasn't sure why he kept answering to the best of his ability, but he was loathed to stop. Professor Snape never stopped asking questions and if Harry took too long he would ask another question in a terse tone.

The questions continued non-stop until the Potions Master stood up from behind his desk. "Detention is over, clean up and return here tomorrow. You've removed one day's worth of detention. That day will be Wednesday."

"Yes, sir," Harry answered and finished cleaning the cauldron he was working on. He wanted to ask how many he'd gotten right and wrong so badly it burned his tongue. His lip bleed from biting it too hard, he left the classroom without speaking. He knew how intelligent the professor was and wondered if the real detention was Harry's desire to know if he was right.

The next morning in Potions, Professor Snape berated Harry for any minor mistakes he made while preparing ingredients for the first-year class. The professor lectured while requiring the class to take notes and cut up Pungous Onions and grind ginger root into a fine powder. He required the class to cut the onions in fine, even slivers before setting them aside. Professor Snape interrupted his lectures multiple times to chastise Harry and Hermione in particular on their knife-work. He made Harry switch pestles with Ron as the class ground the ginger root into a finer powder. Hermione was forced to switch with Neville.

"Snape was horrible today!" Ron complained as they walked to Herbology.

"Your powdered ginger was a lot finer than mine was, Hermione," Neville consoled the red-eyed girl. Hermione silently cried after Professor Snape emptied her pestle and picked out a small lump of ginger before telling her to do it all over again.

Harry kept his thoughts to himself as he patted Hermione on the back. He debated telling his friends what he suspected but wasn't sure even he believed his theory. Professor Snape was not known for his friendly attitude toward Gryffindors, but he had no reason to bully Harry or Hermione. Ron complained all afternoon about the Potions Master and the Slytherins in general.

"Harry! Come on up here and show the class your best troll impression," Lockhart called out during the middle of his story about one of his books.

Harry felt his eye twitch as he gripped his wand under his robes. He knew his temper was getting the better of him, but he'd learned nothing in the class so far. It galled him to sit in the class and have to look interested or face Lockhart's summons to the front of the class. He was used as a prop in almost every lesson while the beaming buffoon babbled on about his achievements. Hermione and many others lapped up the handsome wizard's monologues with wide, adoring eyes.

When told to act like a troll, Harry gave the class his best impression of Gilderoy Lockhart's smile. "Oh, no my boy, you need to be the troll. An excellent smile, not good enough to win Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award I'm afraid," Lockhart said and flashed him a sparkling smile.

The urge to curse the professor grew as Harry tried to smile back. He imagined it might look like a pained grimace or a wolf bearing its teeth. "A troll it is, sir," he said and grunted unintelligible sounds. He wished he knew how to cast a charm to make the class smell like a Dungbomb went off to emphasize the performance.

"You're going to miss Charms Club this week," Hermione said with a sigh. "We're just going over plant growth charms so you won't miss much, I suppose," she muttered with a shrug. "I might just stay in the common room and review."

"You could always take the day to rest," Harry said as he finished the last paragraph on his three-foot essay for History of Magic. The essay lengths required increased significantly from the previous year. It meant the students had to add more information on history, theory, and any practical applications that might be relevant for each assignment.

"I can while reviewing," Hermione shot back with a grin. "Ready to head off to detention?"

"We'll see how tonight goes," he answered as he looked around the common room. Ginny sat in the corner writing in a black book with a bright smile on her face. Her Transfiguration book lay open beside her and a blank parchment lay on the floor. Fred and George were talking to Lee Jordan about Gilderoy Lockhart's latest spectacular failure in one of his classes. The professor tried to show off a Self-Clean Charm on his robes and managed to Vanish his robes entirely.

"Ron will be back at some point soon," Harry said into the silence as he put his things away.

"He's been working hard," Neville sighed as he sat down in the chair Harry vacated a moment before. "How did the homework go?" he asked as he opened his school bag.

"Harry finished the History of Magic essay and I'm working on Potions. What do you have left?" Hermione asked with a smile.

"History of Magic, Potions, and Transfiguration," Neville answered and looked around. "Why aren't we using the Study Classroom? It's so loud in here," he asked with a grimace toward a group of Gryffindors playing exploding snap in an alcove by the fire.

"We can go if you'd like to before dinner. Harry is about to leave for detention," Hermione said with a snort. She shot Harry a pointed look.

"Only a few days left," Harry said with a grin. He hadn't told his friends that he was almost looking forward to his detention to see if Professor Snape quizzed him again. The Potions Master's attitude intrigued and worried him. He had no doubt Professor Snape still hated him.

"Potter, you meager skills shown in class today has made me realize how far behind you really are. You lack the finesse and knowledge required for Potions to pass any O.W.L. exam you might attempt. The first and third-year students are working through the prepared stock of ingredients at alarming rates. Your pathetic attempts this morning did little to renew the low stores. Instead of cleaning cauldrons, you will prepare the items on this list," Professor Snape said with a sneer. He flicked his wand and made a long parchment fly over to the desk beside Harry. Another flick of his wand sent seven large glass jars of ingredients. All the jars were close to empty.

"Go grab a knife from the storeroom and the necessary ingredients, _now_!"

Harry nodded and went to the ingredient supply closet and retrieved everything he would need. He read over the list twice before starting to dice, slice, crush, and powder the required ingredients. After five minutes of dicing the fluxweed, Professor Snape rose from his chair. "You chop at the fluxweed as if you were a troll. By Merlin you are a dunderhead," he sneered and walked over to Harry's desk. A sliver knife flashed and appeared in the professor's hand. He snatched up a fluxweed stem and sliced through the hard stem with fast, precise cuts. Every cut removed a millimeter of the green stem. Harry watched, amazed at the Potion Master's skill and technique.

"For every stem you fail to produce this fine a cut on, you will add more time to your detention," Professor Snape growled. "Do not waste my ingredients because of your incompetence."

Harry gulped, wishing the professor would ask him questions instead of setting him a task he couldn't possibly get right. The Potions Master stood in front of his desk as he attempted to cut the fluxweed stem into millimeter-sized pieces.

"Failure," Professor Snape sneered and waved his wand. The pile of diced fluxweed disappeared in a flash of fire. The smell of burnt grass filled the room. "Again!"

"You look awful this morning, Harry," Hermione commented at breakfast.

Harry didn't want to tell his friend he'd added two more days to his detention because of his constant failures. Logically, he knew it was only one more day but it didn't make him feel any better. His mind wandered in Transfiguration as the class worked on turning beetles into buttons. Double Charms was boring for him as the class worked on the Shrinking Charm. He acted like he paid attention while imagining himself cutting ingredients in precise, even strokes. His fingers itched to use a knife to practice what he was imagining. In his last class, History of Magic, he used the knife he stole in the Great Hall at lunch to practice what he'd been visualizing all day. He practiced slow, even strokes while using his fingers to inch a parchment across the desk and using his knuckle as a guard from the blade.

"What are you doing?" Hermione hissed at him halfway through the lesson.

"Practicing," he muttered back as he continued his rhythm. Hermione huffed and rolled her eyes. He noticed her eyes didn't leave his hands for a time.

Professor Snape switched up the punishment for every detention Harry had with him. The day after he cut ingredients, he had to grind ginger roots and sage. When Harry focused on the grinding technique he'd been shown during classes the next day, the Potions Master changed it up again. Harry had to answer harder questions while measuring exact portions of ingredients into small vials. The amount of time he had to do detention fluctuated with each day. One day he would gain back time and the next he would be penalized with more detention.

By the end of the week, Harry felt like he'd run a mental marathon. Professor Snape sneered at him on Saturday and warned him not to get involved with Slytherin politics again. Harry thanked the professor for taking the time to instruct his detention, earning him a piercing glower in response.

"Harry there are two weeks left until Halloween!" Hermione fretted on Sunday morning. She bit her lip and read the flashcard. "Carpe Retractum," she said and tapped the orange card with her wand. The words disappeared before a new question wrote itself on the card.

"What do you think? Should we push harder for more information or solidify what we know?" Harry questioned as he read his red flashcard. "The Lapifors Spell," he said and tapped the card with his wand. "What is the incantation for the spell that turns cats into cauldrons?" he muttered to himself and bit his lip. "Fel… Fel… Felifors," he answered and tapped the card.

"I don't know," Hermione fretted and answered the next question on her card.

"Why don't you both stow it and enjoy the day?" Ron muttered into the silent classroom.

"We're so close, Ron!" Hermione scolded and glared at him. "You should be studying too! I saw what you tried to turn into Professor McGonagall."

"I was in a rush," Ron answered with a flushed face. "Fred and George were working with me on my broom-work."

"Excited for your first match after Halloween?" Harry asked after he answered another question.

"We will crush those Slytherins even if they have better brooms!" Ron declared with a fierce grin. "Malfoy won't know what hit him."

Harry chuckled and looked at Neville who was writing an essay. "Are the flashcards we came up with helping at all?" He and Hermione worked on a list of review questions to memorize between classes during the week of Harry's detention. After enchanting a flashcard for each class, they gave them to Neville and Ron to use if they wanted. Harry didn't try and push Ron as hard as he had last year, knowing he'd be wasting his breath on his Quidditch-obsessed friend. Neville thanked them both with a nervous smile.

"Thank you, again," Neville muttered as his eyes scanned over the black flashcard. Harry felt a little bad for not spending as much time with Neville as he had before. While Neville spent much of his time in the greenhouse, Harry and Hermione pushed each other harder and harder, sometimes tuning out their friends.

"You know I don't mind helping. If you do need anything, please let me know," Harry said to his friend and meant it. He would drop whatever he was doing to try and help if possible.

"You could help me fly better," Ron said with a laugh.

"We can't get you off your broom for ten minutes as it is, Ron," Hermione shot back with a laugh.

Hedwig returned with a note from Professor Dumbledore. He thanked Harry for the warning and asked to see him the day after Halloween so they could discuss his worries in more detail. The International Confederation of Wizards remained locked in a heated debate on the regulation of Flying Carpets and which countries would continue to ban them. Harry felt it sounded like a dull debate to sit through.

Hermione suggested they should start eating all their meals in the Study Classroom so they could work and eat at the same time. Harry caught Hermione dozing off in a History of Magic class and debated if he should let her sleep or wake her. He knew either option would make his friend angry, but decided to let her sleep and closed his eyes to pretend to be asleep too. She scolded him for falling asleep in class when Ron woke them both with a laugh.

"The bags under your eyes have bags," Neville commented as he sat down on one of the couches. Harry knicked a few more desks from another classroom to transfigure a sofa for them to rest on. It took him four hours to get the spell right, but it was worth it to have a soft place to stretch out on while he read.

"We'll lay off some after Halloween," Harry promised and looked over at Hermione. Her hair was a mess and she hadn't changed her shirt in two days. The prospect of disappointing Professor McGonagall drove his friend harder.

"I'll hold you to it. I'm getting worried," Neville said in a low whisper. "You have to know you're miles ahead of the rest of us," he said with a frown. "Why do you two push yourselves so hard?"

"For Hermione, I think it's the possibility of disappointing someone she respects and idolizes. For me, I love learning magic and potions. I couldn't care less about what the stars say, the history of wizards, or anything like that. I'll learn it and some of it is interesting, but I love magic. Watching Professor Dumbledore conjure a chair in front of me out of thin air was amazing and left a lasting impression. Another thing is Voldemort. He's still alive, barely, but he keeps trying to gain power. I have a feeling he won't wait for me to learn magic before finishing the job. I know I wouldn't if I were in his position."

Neville shuddered and nodded. "Just don't kill yourself trying to get stronger or something. Bet He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would love that," he joked with a wry grin. "You two coming down to the Halloween feast later?"

"We'll be along after we finish the last bit of research on the Exploding Charm. Both of us are having trouble controlling the spell like the books says. We should be able to make a stone ball explode but leave the platform intact. She and I both keep destroying both," Harry said while rubbing his neck.

"What classes have you guys worked on?" Neville asked as he picked up a copy of the required list off the table. Harry and Hermione had copies of Professor McGonagall's list attached to walls of each of the partitions and on the door so they would see it when they left.

"Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, and History of Magic," Harry said after a minute. "We put off Potions and Herbology until after Halloween."

"How far have you gotten in those classes?"

Harry coughed and looked away. "We've made good progress but there is a difference between being exposed to information and being able to master it and use it. I know about almost everything on the list from our study so far, but I wouldn't feel confident in passing a test. We aren't geniuses."

"You might as well be," Neville muttered with a sigh.

"We work hard, there is a difference. A genius would be able to learn the information a lot faster than we have. The concepts, math, and understanding of… well, everything is getting harder and harder. The Exploding Charm isn't about waving your wand and expecting something to blow up. What is the object you wish to destroy? How is it formed, made, or constructed? What is the best way to complete your goal?" Harry rattled off. "It is less about power and more about control when you get into the third and fourth-grade spells. I can't imagine right now how hard the fifth, sixth, and seventh-year spells will be. The Extension Charm makes my head hurt and Mr. Weasley struggled with it three times out of four."

"That sounds… hard," Neville muttered looking down at his wand clutched in his hand.

"Yes and at the same time no. Once you understand the concepts it becomes easier with practice. My first time using the Exploding Charm made the dummy shoot shards of rock at us but there was little damage on the actual dummy. I didn't understand that forcing power into the spell could cause more problems. Now, I know a controlled explosion will do far more damage than throwing my power around. More importantly, I have the experience to understand how to manipulate the spell to do what I want it to after tons of attempts."

Ron and Neville left for the Halloween feast early. Ron drew Neville into a heated debate about which classes weren't really necessary for life after Hogwarts. The redhead said Herbology, Astronomy, and History of Magic were all classes they could remove so he could practice Quidditch more. Neville became indignant and argued that his favorite class was important. They left the room, still arguing about how Potions wouldn't be a class without Herbology.

"What do you want to do?" Harry asked a little bit later. "The feast will have started. Do you want to just stay here or head down? I'm fine with either one. Halloween doesn't do much for me anyway."

"Ron mentioned your nightmares came back last week," Hermione said as she looked up from a long bit of parchment on Exploding Charm theories they'd worked on the previous day.

"It's fine. I just hate this time of year," he answered with a shrug. "So, feast or am I doing a kitchen run?"

"We might as well go down," Hermione answered after a minute or two. "My head is starting to hurt from reading this over and over. Why did you have to write in such small handwriting?"

"Me? I sent Hedwig off to get magnifying glasses to read your writing," Harry joked and put his things away. He locked their belongings in a side-table with a charm.

"Have you looked into a new classroom? Madam Pince got short with me today when I asked for another book to borrow," Hermione questioned as they left the classroom and ensured the door stayed charm-locked.

Harry noticed all of his charms and transfigured objects tended to return to normal after a while. He didn't know if it was the house-elves fixing his work or if the castle countered his magic. The castle was alive with magic, he was sure of it. "I forgot to ask Fred and George on their progress. They are probably laughing and waiting for me to ask again," he muttered. He knew what the twins wanted but couldn't give it to them.

They walked toward the Great Hall and talked about the pros and cons of moving the Study Classroom. In a lapse in silence, Harry thought Hermione said something under her breath. "It's okay to curse at me, but what did you say? I want to laugh too," he shot back with a grin.

"What? I didn't say anything?" Hermione said and looked up with a confused expression.

"You didn't say you wanted to kill me?" he questioned with a grin. "Not that I blame you. I can be a right prat sometimes."

"No?!" Hermione answered coming to a stop. "Are you okay, Harry?"

"There it was again," Harry muttered and looked down a darkened corridor. He frowned as he realized the corridor led to a double flight of stairs leading down to the dungeons. A weight in his right hand made him realize he'd pulled his wand at some point. "I must be going crazy. I thought I heard kill and Mudblood."

"I didn't hear anything," Hermione said, peering closer at him and looking between him and the corridor. "Are you feeling… okay? I know we haven't been getting a lot of sleep."

"I'm fine, I must be imagining things. Still…" he said before trailing off. With a shrug, he went to put away his wand when he felt a prickle in his head around his scar. It set off warning bells of his time with Quirrell. "Hermione, go find a professor! I might be crazy, but this is real," he ordered and started off toward the corridor.

"What? What's real? _Harry_!" Hermione called as Harry broke into a run.

Harry turned the corridor, his wand raised. He could almost feel something invisible tugging at his stomach. Fear gave strength to his legs as he listened harder. The muffled hissing seemed to come closer and moved away at the same time. He couldn't figure out why he'd heard the voice above him and then a moment later on the floor below him. "Lumos Maxima!" he yelled, sending a bright light flying ahead of him.

He'd realized most of the torches had gone out so he cast the stronger version of the Wand-Lighting Charm to see the path ahead. His spell hit an intersecting corridor far ahead of him. The white latched to the wall and lit the area up in a bright light. Two contorted forms lay across the corridor, their eyes wide and looks of horror distorting their faces. Nearly-Headless Nick and Peeves the Poltergeist stared into nothing as their corporeal bodies lay across each other on the floor. Harry gasped when he realized the two ghosts could be touched. He tried to move Sir Nicholas' head to see where the ghost was looking when he heard a soft crack. Harry felt bile rise to his throat when he realized he'd accidentally beheaded Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpinton. He set the ghost's head down and backed away.

"Beheading ghosts is worth our attention, Potter?" a sneering voice called from behind him. Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall stood at the end of the hall. He hadn't realized how long he was standing there and inspecting the corporeal ghosts.

"No, they were like this already. I… uh… accidentally took Sir Nick's head off," Harry muttered and gestured to the two inert ghosts. "They look like they've seen something horrible."

"What did you," Professor McGonagall started but Harry cut her off.

"The voice! This way!" he cried and ran off toward the end of the corridor. He heard three people behind him as he turned the corner. Water covered the floor, causing him to slip and slide into the wall. A figure was hunched over the water near an open door up the hall.

"Argus!" Professor McGonagall called and stepped around Harry. Her wand raised high she cast a spell down the corridor. A bright light flashed from her wand, causing her to freeze. "No humans are near," she gasped.

"He is dead then?" Professor Snape questioned and flanked Professor McGonagall. "Lumos Maxima," he said in a low voice. A bright light hung over the inert form of Argus Filch. Water was all over the hall, coming from the open door beside the caretaker.

"Moaning Myrtle's bathroom," Professor McGonagall said after a moment. "She'll have caused the water with one of her tantrums."

"I will go first," Professor Snape announced and started forward. "Potter, stay behind and warn us if you hear any more strange voices only you can hear," he spat and strode through the water.

It was then Harry realized something. "Professors, the portraits… they're… dead… they're all dead."

Both professors froze and looked at the four portraits lining the walls. Two witches were slumped over in their chairs, tea spilled across the silk tablecloth between them. An old, irascible warlock lay spread eagle on the snowy landscape of his portrait. The last two portraits displayed their occupants slumped over in the chairs they were sitting on. You could only see the fuzzy slippers of the person in the last portrait. All the portraits had a dim, gray cast to the portrait.

"The magic is fading," Professor McGonagall gasped. "They are all truly dead."

"Retreat for now," Professor Snape ordered. "There is nothing more we can do here until Albus arrives."

"I am here now, Severus," a calm voice called from behind them.

Albus Dumbledore strode up the hall, his wand drawn and his eyes roaming over the scene in front of him. "Hermione Granger's intelligent use of the Sending Spell reached me as well," he explained and drew closer to the scene. "Unfortunately, now the whole school knows something happened tonight."

"We were discussing matters when her spell reached us," Professor McGonagall explained as she glanced at Harry. "Albus, the portraits are fading."

"Yes, I see that. A horrible fate for those poor fragments. I think… I will go first to see what has become of our caretaker."

Dumbledore strode through the puddled water without making a ripple or sound. Harry thought the Headmaster might have cast a non-verbal spell to walk on the water. Dumbledore reached Mr. Filch and bent down. He kept his wand raised, pointing to a space between the open bathroom door and the darkened corridor ahead of them. His wand flicked and all the torches along the walls burned brighter. Harry squinted his eyes to see through the bright light hitting his eyes.

"He is alive but petrified," Dumbledore's voice called from up the corridor.

Professor McGonagall released a puff of air as she deflated a little. "Thank Merlin," she muttered.

"Minerva, please head down to the Great Hall. Ensure it is locked down and Professors are sent to their common rooms to ensure all students are accounted for," the Headmaster instructed before turning to Professor Snape. "Severus, I must ask you to take Argus, Peeves, and Sir Nicholas to the Hospital Wing so we can keep them contained in case this is an outbreak of some sort. I will inspect the area and follow shortly with the portraits and Harry."

Professor Snape nodded and went back up the corridor to where they left the bodies of the two ghosts. Harry noticed the professor didn't put away his wand and kept moving his head in slow, sweeping motions. He turned back to the Headmaster and waited to one side. His eyes were drawn to the fading images in the portraits. The gray film that had seemed to cover the portraits grew darker as the images distorted.

"Portraits are not truly alive, but they are not dead either. These poor souls were a fragment of memory. Encased in a frame for eternity," Professor Dumbledore said a moment later. The Headmaster appeared in the bathroom door with a troubled look on his face. "Moaning Myrtle saw nothing. A young student made fun of her and made the temperamental ghost flood the bathroom in retaliation."

"Why would you make fun of a ghost?" Harry questioned.

"Many reasons, but that is not important at the moment. I must ask you to follow me for a time to ensure we are safe… for the moment," Dumbledore asked moving his wand higher.

Harry recognized the dueling stance from one of his books. "I heard a faint voice near the other end of the castle. Hermione and I made it down one of the back stairs near the Gryffindor Tower to the second floor. I heard it there."

"The other side of the castle you say?" the Headmaster questioned as he walked down the corridor. Harry followed and looked around the corridors. They walked through the corridors for thirty minutes before returning to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Harry spoke little, trying to listen as hard as he could for the mysterious voice. "Follow for a little longer please, Harry," Dumbledore instructed as he waved his wand over the now blackened portraits. All four portraits floated off the wall and floated toward Dumbledore.

"Writing!" Harry gasped as he stared, wide-eyed at the writing on the wall. "Enemies of the Heir… Beware!… The Chamber of Secrets… is open once more," he read aloud. The words were hidden behind the portraits and written in a dripping red substance.

"Dramatic," Professor Dumbledore said in a calm voice.

"What is this? Destroyed portraits, frozen ghosts, and cursed caretakers," a pompous voice called as the Hospital Wing doors burst open. Gilderoy Lockhart strode into the room with a beaming smile. "I heard about an attack like this in Georgia. A mountain village was attacked by a marauding band of rogue wizards. I helped…"

"Gilderoy, please, this is a Hospital Wing," Madam Pomfrey scolded, cutting off the boasting professor.

Harry sat on the bed by the head of Sir Nicholas, explaining what he'd seen to Madam Pomfrey. She was startled and amazed that Harry removed the ghost's head.

"Harry, I believe it is time to retire. Would you come with me once more?" the Headmaster called as Lockhart stormed out of the room. Professor McGonagall told the buffoon off for poking his wand at Argus Filch's petrified form. No one could find Mrs. Norris despite calling and looking for her.

"Sure, professor," Harry answered and jumped off the bed. He followed along behind Dumbledore's sweeping purple robes as the Headmaster led him through the castle and up flights of stairs. They arrived at the gargoyle blocking the entrance to Dumbledore's Office.

"Jelly Tots," the Headmaster said. The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a short passage that led to spiraling stone stairs. Harry followed Dumbledore to the bottom stair and felt the magic of the tower activate as a light caress against his skin. He gasped in surprise.

"Professor, I felt the magic!" he said and ran a finger over his forearms. His finger moved along the bumps and grooves of the faint burn scarring but he couldn't feel it.

"I suspect you will be more attuned to subtle changes in magic because of your injuries. Feeling little on your skin makes you aware of any subtle changes in your environment many witches and wizards filter out and ignore unconsciously. This tower has housed many strong witches and wizards so the magic here is denser than you'd find anywhere else in the castle. Outside the Great Hall that is," Dumbledore explained with a bright smile.

"Have a seat," the Headmaster ordered before sitting in the high-backed chair behind the large desk in the center of the room.

Harry noticed a large red bird in the corner that he'd missed the last few times he'd been in the room. He wondered if the bird acted as Professor Dumbledore's owl and that was why he missed the beautiful bird before. "Sir?" he asked and took a seat.

"Fawkes," Dumbledore explained with a wide smile. "Fawkes is a phoenix and has an interesting temperament, much like my own. We are not seen when we do not wish to be. If you see Fawkes now, then he has acknowledged you as worthy to see him. Now, I wish to understand what happened tonight and anything more you can add concerning the letter you sent me. Hedwig made quite a scene when she burst into the International Confederation of Wizards' meeting hall."

Harry started and turned around to look at Professor Dumbledore. "She did?!" he gasped, trying to imagine the scene it must have made.

"Quite the uproar, but no matter. Your information was important and she knew it. I wish to know everything you wish to disclose. I was once a student and understand the need for secrecy when I was in some of my more adventurous moods. I am happy with any information you can provide and respect your privacy."

Harry barked a laugh. "I haven't had time to get into trouble this year, sir," he admitted with a shrug. "Hermione and I have been pushing ourselves hard. It started on my birthday over the summer…"

Professor Dumbledore listened over steepled fingers as he listened to Harry's full narration of his experiences with Dobby, Mr. Malfoy, the Aurors at King's Cross, and his suspicions. Harry's throat grew hoarse toward the end of his story. The Headmaster conjured two glasses and a bottle of Butterbeer. "You won't have tried this yet, but I think after today, you may come to enjoy it," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye.

Harry liked the sweet drink and downed it. It soothed his scratchy throat and allowed him to continue. "Please understand, Headmaster. I'm not sure of my conjectures and it could be wrong. However, the puzzle pieces fit. Mr. Malfoy and Dobby have caused or orchestrated the method to cause whatever happened tonight."

"Speculation without proof will land you and I in more trouble than is worth dealing with. However, prudence and planning for a possible threat is an intelligent thing to do. I will ask you to keep what has happened a secret for as long as possible. Simply tell anyone who asks that you found Peeves and Sir Nicholas by accident. Do not mention voices or Mr. Filch."

"Uh, no problem, sir," Harry said with a shrug. He wasn't going to explain anything to anyone he didn't have to anyway.

"I believe tomorrow is a big day for you and Miss Granger," Dumbledore said into the silence. "Have you given the subject much thought?" he asked with an amused look playing at the corners of his mouth.

Harry snorted in response. "Oh, much thought? I suppose thinking about it every day isn't really giving it much thought," he mused with a barely suppressed laugh. "I think we'll go for it."

"You can always bow out at any time. Remember, magical education is at your pace and this is simply an offer to our more gifted students. Few see it to completion, but… all who attempt the task benefit from the experience," the Headmaster said with a bright smile. "There is no favoritism here if you are wondering. It was a joint decision by four of your professors in a rare unanimous vote. I was merely told afterward."


	8. Chapter 8: Voices and Duels

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 8: Voices and Duels**

"Harry! What happened?" Ron asked before anyone else could. The Gryffindor Common Room was packed with students, all waiting to question Harry.

"Hermione's spell said something happened and for the Headmaster to make his way to the second floor," one twin said into the silence.

Low mutters reverberated around the room as everyone stared at Harry. "I'm not sure. All I know for sure is that Peeves and Nearly-Headless Nick were frozen solid and found on the floor. I got spooked because I thought I heard something. It must have been the two ghosts arguing. When I found them, they were frozen solid and I could touch them."

"You scared the whole school because of that?" a snide voice called from a chair by the fire. Cormac stood and spit into the fire. A few of the closer girls gave him looks of disgust that he ignored.

"I honestly thought Hermione would run to find a professor, but yeah I spooked the school because of that," Harry said with a shrug. He didn't care what the others thought of him now that he'd found friends he could rely on. His response caused some of the older Gryffindors to snort with disappointment and depart for their dormitories. He heard the words Harry and broom in a couple of the quiet conversations around the room.

"That doesn't explain why Professor McGonagall locked the Great Hall down, Harry," Wood said after many of the students had left.

"No, it doesn't," Harry answered with a smile. "For that, you'll need to find that out from Professor Dumbledore who found me. Obviously, whatever made the two ghosts become petrified worried the Headmaster," he said with a bitter smile. He took sick pleasure at the looks of shock on a few of the students who stopped to listen after bad-mouthing him.

"Have a good night," Harry announced and shoved past two older Gryffindors near the door to the boy's dormitories.

Ron appeared with Neville a minute later. "Mate, what was that about?" Ron asked as he sat on his bed.

"You know more than you said," Neville accused as he started to pull off his trainers.

"I do, but not here," Harry answered as Dean and Seamus appeared in the doorway a moment later. They looked at Harry and his friend before sharing a glance. The boys didn't talk as they crawled into bed.

"Harry, what happened?" Ron whispered the next morning when Harry woke him.

Harry didn't sleep well. He kept dreaming his world started to gray out before all his senses stopped and all he could see was black. "In the Study Classroom later," he whispered back. He didn't want to repeat himself when he told his friends the real story.

"Harry, you look horrible," Hermione said with a frown. "What happened last night?" she asked in a low voice at breakfast.

"Later in the classroom," Harry shot back when he noticed a few Gryffindors turning their heads toward him.

"Spill the beans," Ron demanded as he closed the door behind him.

"Alright," Harry answered as he plopped into one of the chairs. "I need everyone's word nothing leaves this classroom. It's a lot more serious than any of the others realize."

"What?!" his friends gasped and found chairs beside Harry.

"Argus Filch was petrified outside Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. I don't know how. I… uh… accidentally made Nearly-Headless Nick… well… headless. His head snapped off when I grabbed it to try and see the expression on his face," Harry admitted and felt his face warm.

"You beheaded Nick?" Ron goggled.

"Continue, Harry," Neville said as he sat forward. "The Mandrakes could heal any petrification once they mature."

"You're right, they could," Harry muttered when he realized Neville was right. "The worst part is four portraits outside the bathroom are all dead. The magic is gone and the witches and wizards were killed," he said into the silence.

"_What__!?_" his friends cried. A loud, shrill sound came through the door from outside the room. Everyone except Harry jumped and turned to the door.

"What the?" Ron gasped as he fumbled for his wand.

"The Caterwauling Charm," Harry answered and drew his wand in a slow motion. He muttered the counter-curse causing the shrill sound to stop. "We might need a new classroom soon," he muttered as he walked to the door. No one was in the corridor when he poked his head out.

"What was that, mate?" Ron asked after Harry reapplied the charm and went back to his seat.

"The Caterwauling Charm makes that shrill sound when someone unauthorized enters a certain area. I set the charm up to work with the outside doorknob. You'll notice we don't have to use it because if you say the password the door opens. If you were to say, try to open the door, it would cause the charm to go off," Harry explained with a smile.

By lunch, the whole school knew the words written on the wall outside Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Some blamed Harry for trying to cause a scene but others looked pale and scared. When someone came back from the Hospital Wing, the entire school was shocked to hear Mr. Filch was petrified behind a curtain at the back of the wing. A headless Sir Nicholas and Peeves were also reported to have been spotted in the Hospital Wing.

Heavy yellowing letters with the official Hogwarts crests arrived for Harry and Hermione at the end of lunch, delivered by large brown owls. Harry noticed a knowing smile on Percy's face as the owls took off again. His heart beat faster and faster as he and Hermione tore into the letters. He skimmed over the cover page written in neat looping handwriting:

Hogwarts School Governing Board of Associated Witches and Wizards

Chief Governor Felicity Uquart née Nott

Dear Mr. H. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been offered a chance to take part in Hogwarts' Accelerated Program. By unanimous vote among your teachers and the goodwill of the Governing Board, we offer you this momentous chance to further your magical education. Enclosed are the permission forms required to enroll in the program and six short exams to test yourself with to see if you would be a fit for the Advance Course curriculum. The Governing Board recommends you treat this decision with the gravity it deserves and wishes you the best of luck.

You are required to:

Gain permission of your guardian(s) to enroll in the program.

Remain above a passing grade in all of your core classes while enrolled in the program.

Remain enrolled in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry throughout your entire magical education.

You may:

Remove yourself from the program at any time with the knowledge that the program will not be offered again.

Ask for specialized training when you reach O.W.L. coursework.

Apply to the Board for a magical tutor during the Summer Holidays and have reduced restriction on the Trace.

Receive specialized training from Board Approved teachers for any core or elective classes during standard schooling days. (Limited to weekends with Head of House permission)

Apply for early O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations by the Ministry of Magic and the Hogwarts School Governing Board of Associated Witches and Wizards.

Please owl your decision with the completed acceptance form by December 1.

Best Wishes,

Felicity Uquart née Nott

Chief Governor of Hogwarts School Governing Board of Associated Witches and Wizards

"Wicked, mate," Ron breathed as he read over Harry's shoulder.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, please visit my office after lunch," Professor McGonagall said as she walked along the Gryffindor table, headed to the High Table.

"Yes, professor!" Harry and Hermione called out with matching wide grins.

"Fred, you wouldn't have visited our classroom earlier, did you?" Harry asked the twins before they left the Great Hall. The twin he wasn't looking at turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"No?" Fred said with a quizzical look. "Should we have?"

"No, I was just wondering. Any chance either of you found a suitable classroom near the library?" Harry asked after a moment's hesitation.

"Since we know you won't join the Gryffindor team now you and Hermione got those letters, we'll trade you something different," George answered after looking at his twin.

Harry marveled at their silent communication and felt elated that they'd given up on him joining the team. "What do you need?"

"The spell that blocks the Unlocking Charm," the twins chorused.

"Could you imagine how useful it will be to hide some of our more sensitive experiments in a safe place?" Fred said with a grin.

"We'll need the charm to counter it too," George said.

Harry grinned and crossed his arms. "I don't know if what you found is worth it," Harry shot back with a grin. "Maybe it's only worth the charm and not the counter charm."

"What are you a Slytherin?" Fred asked with a grin.

"We'll tell you the floor and general area but I promise you won't be disappointed," George countered.

"Deal as long as it isn't in a disused bathroom. Hermione would have my head if we set up a classroom in one," Harry answered with a laugh. He would teach them the charm anyway if they asked. He was feeling in a good mood after receiving the letter.

"The room we are thinking of is off the Fourth Floor near the middle of the school. A short two minute walk to the library and away from the Study Areas that most of the students use. You do know you could cast spells in any of the three Study Areas? That is what the school provides them for," Fred said with a laugh.

"I know about them but the classroom we used was convenient to the Gryffindor Tower. How far are we talking from the tower?" Harry questioned after thinking a moment.

"Closer than you might think," George answered. "Maybe five minutes if you use the corridors and stairs, but..." he trailed off with a wry grin.

"Okay, the information is worth it, I'll agree to the trade," Harry answered with a laugh after the twins stared at him for a full minute without answering.

"Pleasure doing business with you," the twins chorused. "Three minutes from the common room if you take the secret passage by the statue of the blind house-elf and gaunt wizard."

"Doesn't that drop you off above the Hospital Wing corridor? There are some supply rooms… oh!" Harry muttered and grinned. "That is genius! No one goes down there because of the missing torch brackets. It's like four minutes from the kitchens and the room will have plenty of junk to transfigure into useful stuff like furniture."

"You noticed he mentioned the kitchens and comfort first," Fred said with a grin to George.

"Not a thanks or anything for our hard work," George muttered with a sad shake of his head.

"Come find us after your meeting with Professor McGonagall, it looks like Hermione might curse you if you don't hurry up," Fred said with a laugh and pointed to the bushy-haired witch standing by the door to the Great Hall. She glared at Harry when he looked up.

"We could be late!" Hermione scolded but Harry noticed her hands shook while clutching the letter.

"The twins came through for us with something I'd never thought of. They are going to show me after our meeting with Professor McGonagall,"

"That's nice," Hermione answered distractedly as she tried to comb her hair with her hand.

Professor McGonagall was waiting for them in her office. She gestured for them to take the two seats in front of her desk. A small fire burned in the fireplace beside her desk and a wooden door led off the side of the room. "Do either of you have any questions before I begin?" the professor asked as she sat back in her chair.

"No, professor," Harry and Hermione chorused.

"I would like to congratulate you on your hard work so far. I disapprove of how you've been treating your bodies but understand. When I was your age, I was offered the same opportunity. There is one fourth-year student who has decided to drop out of the program this year. As of right now, there are two students who are still enrolled. Percy Weasley is on a path of his choosing and wants to join the Ministry after he graduates. I asked him the same question I will be asking you both. Why do you wish to enroll in this program? You will be tested and pushed to limits neither of you can understand yet," Professor McGonagall questioned and sat forward.

"I want to do something good in my life! Change something for the better. I love learning and want to be the best," Hermione said in a breathy voice. Her grin stretched her face from ear to ear.

"How about you, Mr. Potter?" the professor questioned after she smiled at Hermione's enthusiasm.

"I'm a little more selfish," Harry admitted with a shrug. "I love magic and want to learn everything I can. If I don't make it through the program it won't bother me, but it's an opportunity I'd be foolish to ignore. I also want to be able to defend myself. Voldemort or any other dark wizard won't give me a chance to grow up if he comes to power again."

"I see," Professor McGonagall said and sat back in her chair. "As a favor to me, please watch out and assist each other. I and the other professors see great things for both of you, but if you hurt yourself as you push harder into more difficult subjects then you could forever damage your futures. As you read in your letters, there are a few advantages you gain. I recommend you apply for any and all resources available as they will alleviate the burden. Rest days are required by Madam Pomfrey who _will_ require you both to make appointments every week for checkups. If you miss one, Merlin help you."

Harry snorted, feeling a little less confident about his choice. The professor looked them over and gave Harry a tight-lipped smile. "I recommend two rest days a week. However, I know how both of you are. I will give you detention if I decide you are working to hard to force you to take rest breaks until you learn," Professor McGonagall said with a glare. "You will not enjoy those detentions as I will transfigure you into rabbits and put you in a cage. Do not try me."

Harry gulped and heard Hermione do the same beside him. They knew the stern professor would do exactly what she threatened if she needed to. "Yes, professor," they both answered in low voices.

"The school will provide tutors at no cost to yourselves over the summer, however, you are responsible for any tutors during the term. The only days available are Saturday or Sunday to meet a tutor. I will need to sign off on anyone you choose and trust me when I say there will be plenty of people who attempt to contact you both."

"Nothing is free," Harry said after a moment. "What do Hogwarts, the School Governors, and or the Ministry get out of this?" he questioned as he looked at Hermione.

"Perceptive," Professor McGonagall said with a smile. "On the surface, there is no price, however, after you graduate everyone that has helped you will come knocking one day. Hogwarts gets prestige and funding from the magical community for raising famous and powerful witches and wizards. The Governors have an almost guaranteed source of income in the future years and the Ministry gets highly talented prospects to recruit from."

Hermione gasped and spluttered. "But education and knowledge should be free!" she huffed.

"Nothing is free," Harry shot back. "For knowledge, you must pay a higher price than anything else. Information is the key to making informed decisions so holding all the information makes it easier to outsmart your opponents. Everything is a battle; only the size, scale, and butcher's bill differ," he quoted with a shrug.

"A remarkably dark answer," Professor McGonagall said with a wry smirk. "However, Mr. Potter is not wrong." The professor sat back in her chair and picked up two stacks of parchments in her hand. "I have tests for you to see where you are in regard to the questions you will be asked on a mock O.W.L. exam. Do either of you have a checklist of what you have completed?"

Hermione blushed and nodded while Harry shrugged and nodded. "We do," the bushy-haired girl said and produced a folded and worn parchment from under her robes. "I don't know how well we'll do on a test though," she admitted.

Professor McGonagall took the parchment and unfolded it. Her eyebrows rose as her eyes scanned over the parchment. "This is quite the achievement and also far worse than I expected," she said and looked up. Hermione looked crestfallen.

"What do you mean?" Harry questioned as he crossed his arms. He thought they did remarkably well for the short time they'd been studying.

"Tell me, both of you, how many hours a day have been devoted to studying this checklist?" Professor McGonagall asked, her voice frosty.

Harry realized the problem and grimaced. "Six hours or so a day," he lied and glanced at Hermione. She had a blood-red flush to her face and caught Harry's eye.

"Sounds about right, professor," Hermione answered in a quiet voice.

"More like eight or more," Professor McGonagall said with a snort. "Mandatory two day breaks for both of you until I'm satisfied. Harry, you are to practice with the Gryffindor Quidditch Team once a week and Hermione you are to join me in my office on Sundays for a reading session. We will choose a book of your choice that is _not_ coursework."

Harry spluttered and Hermione blushed redder. "Why do I need to practice with the team?" Harry asked, fearing he knew the answer.

"Just because you don't want to play doesn't mean I won't use you to make the others better. The Gryffindors will win this year and your natural skill will only help the team train if you don't want to play."

"That's unfair!" Harry gasped. He didn't mind going to the practices when he wanted to, not because he was ordered to.

"Tough, want a lemon drop?" Professor McGonagall shot back with a wintry smile.

Hermione broke out into giggles as Harry cursed under his breath. The professor gave him a stern but amused look. "Take the parchments and attempt the questions without using your books. This is not a graded assignment but a measurement for yourselves on your level of understanding on each subject. Take the week to decompress. I will expect both of you here next Saturday before the Quidditch match with Slytherin. I will grade the tests and give them back to you sometime Sunday depending on how well we do in the match."

Harry and Hermione left after talking to the professor a little longer. She congratulated them on their hard work and warned them again about overdoing it once more. Hermione asked to borrow Hedwig to send the permission form to her parents. Hedwig was in a much better mood after Harry visited her three times a week. She looked forward to making frequent trips to Flourish and Blotts for him for more books.

"You have time to show me the spot you picked out?" Harry asked the twins when he got back to the common room. "Professor McGonagall just assigned me to go to one practice a week with the team," he groused.

"Wicked! Wood's plan worked then," one twin said with a grin.

"We talked him into talking to Professor McGonagall," the other twin finished with a broad grin.

"So I know who to curse now," Harry muttered and tried to hide his smile. It didn't bother him, but he used it as an excuse to blow off some of the nervous energy bundled up in his stomach.

"Do it after the match. The Slytherins will start their antics up soon if they haven't already."

"Come on, Harry, Fred. We have a spell to learn and a new home to show off."

Fred and George led him out of the common room and up the corridor to the second statue on the left. George shook the wizard's hand and pulled down on the house-elf's ear to reveal a secret passage behind the wizard. The long, dark passage ended behind a worn tapestry depicting three witches standing around a bubbling cauldron.

"You could choose any of these," Fred announced and spread his arms wide. Four doors were on the opposite side of the dim corridor at even intervals. The corridor ended at a wall to the left and led out into one of the main fourth-floor corridors on the right.

"We recommend you choose the farthest one from the main corridor, which might make it harder for people to find you. No one comes down here for the most part anyway. If they do, they aren't looking to give you any trouble and it'll be in one of the first storage rooms," George said with a smirk.

"Have you checked them?" Harry asked as he looked up and down the corridor.

"Somewhat," Fred answered with a shrug. "Found someone's stash of Dungbombs that might have been there for the last century or so."

"If dressing up is your thing, we found a bunch of girl's robes and stuff in the second storeroom. Might have been from a theater troupe or something in the past," George added with a laugh.

Harry looked up and down the corridor again, realizing something bothered him but didn't know what. "Thanks for the idea again. I'll pick one of these later. Do you want to head up to your lab to learn the Anti-Alohomora Charm?"

"We thought you'd never ask!" the twins chorused.

Harry spent an hour showing Fred and George how to cast the charm. Once he explained the theory to them, the twins got the hang of the spell quickly. He helped them transfigure the farthest stall into a secure closet made of Australian Buloke. They covered the top of the stall and removed the toilet with a Severing Charm. Harry made the wooden walls reach the ceiling and affixed two short shelves inside the twin's new closet.

"Wicked," Fred muttered as he tried to unlock the stall door with the Opening Charm. The spell fizzled out when it hit the latch.

"I'll do you two one better. Pick a password," Harry said with a smirk.

"Mischief," the twins chorused with a shared grin.

Harry squared his shoulders and focused hard on constructing the charm he wanted. "Permittae Verbum," he enunciated with a strong voice. "Mischief… Inrito Furus." He felt the magic settle on the door and grinned. "Give it a shot," he said and took a step back.

Fred and George shared a look before turning their wide eyes on Harry. "Just how much do you and Hermione know?" they chorused. Fred grinned and waltzed up to the stall door. "Mischief!" he said and reached for the handle. He almost fell forward when he intended to push open the door only to find the stall door had swung open.

"Wicked!" George said with a laugh. "We're coming to you for any of our future problems," he said with a feral grin.

"No kidding, we've got a few ideas we need to run by you," Fred muttered with a gleam in his eye.

Harry and Hermione took their time writing answers to Professor McGonagall's questions during the next week. They didn't cheat by using any of their books for reference but did use their flashcards to review before taking each mock exam. The Slytherins tried to disrupt the Gryffindors but got a bloody nose for their efforts. Fred and George shut down Miles Bletchley with a pair of disabling spells when the Slytherin Keeper tried to attack them in the halls. Draco tried to ambush Angelina near the library with his pet gorillas but Katie Bell interrupted their attempt. She cursed Malfoy and sent Crabbe and Goyle running. After three repeated failures, the Slytherins gave up and started a rumor campaign against Ron's lack of ability.

Harry mentioned to Fred and George that Ginny looked withdrawn and pale. He asked them if they knew how their little sister was doing in her classes. "Mate, she's ahead of almost all of them in Charms because of how hard she tried over the summer. She's loving Hogwarts," Fred said with a grin.

"You worry too much, she'd let us know if something was wrong," George commented with a shrug.

"All right," Harry said and put the issue out of his mind. He went back to his flashcard while Ron gorged himself beside him.

"The questions are getting too hard," Neville complained as they left double Potions on Wednesday.

Harry privately disagreed but patted his friend on the back. "We can go over any questions you have after this last class. I'm so sick of Lockhart," he muttered with a grimace. "I wonder if I could schedule my checkups with Madam Pomfrey when we have any Defense classes."

Hermione's attitude toward the flamboyant professor dimmed some when he told her she was wrong about something she knew to be correct. Lockhart dismissed her assurance in the next class that she was right about fledgling vampires even when she produced evidence from the library. Harry's dislike for the professor grew more when it became obvious Lockhart wanted to become his private tutor. The grinning professor assured him that he could teach him the ways of the wizarding world and powerful, advanced magic. Harry tried to laugh off the professor's offer and retreated from the classroom as fast as he could.

The Gryffindors were excited and screamed their support for their Quidditch team at breakfast. It got to the point that the Headmaster had to use a suspiciously familiar spell to get everyone's attention. "That looked like my firework charm!" Harry gasped as he looked down the table at the twins. Their wide eyes locked onto Harry's, confirming his suspicion that the spell looked familiar.

"The Gryffindors take the field for the first match of the term!" Lee Jordan's voice boomed around the stadium. "Ronald Weasley is the new Seeker to replace Casper Ward from last year. He and Harry Potter have been working hard throughout the entire year to provide the Gryffindor team the best chance of winning. Angelina will be using a Nimbus 2001 and Ron will be using his Nimbus 2001. Malfoy bought his way onto the…"

"Jordan! I'm warning you!" Professor McGonagall's voice boomed across the stadium.

"Sorry, professor. The new Slytherin Seeker _played_ his way onto the team," Lee stressed with a grin in his voice. "Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint has gone with the same players as last year, save for Malfoy. Their new _donated_ Nimbus 2001s by Mr. Malfoy will be pitted against the skill of Gryffindor Team."

"Madam Hooch takes the field!"

The difference between the school brooms and the Nimbus 2001s was evident early in the match. Angelina was the only Chaser that could keep up with the Slytherin Chasers. Wood took this into account and played a one-man defense strategy with Katie Bell as a mid coverage. It meant Angelina had to do a lot of the work for the Chasers but gave better protection for Wood if one of the Slytherin Chasers broke away with the Quaffle.

"Slytherins get the first goal of the game," Lee announced into the chorus of groans from the Gryffindors.

"Angelina takes the Quaffle and flies up the pitch. She dodges Flint and Pucey! Warrington is out of place and won't be able to catch her even on those Nimbus'!" Lee screamed as Angelina raced toward the goalposts and the Keeper Miles Bletchley.

"She shoots… _she scores_!" Lee yelled and did a little dance in the commentator's box.

Harry alternated between watching the skies for Ron and the Snitch and the amazing teamwork of the Gryffindor Chasers. He wished he felt comfortable buying the entire team Nimbus 2001s so they could dominate the entire field. Even with inferior brooms, they managed to keep up with and outperformed the opposing Chasers.

"How is Ron doing?" Hermione yelled to him over the cheers of the other Gryffindors.

"Playing exactly like Wood wants him to. High in the air and constantly moving so he can spot the Snitch. He might be a little too high but Malfoy is doing the same thing," Harry answered with a grin. "I can't wait to see how Ron does!"

The score remained close but Slytherin was in the lead throughout the entire match. Ron made a few feints that Malfoy was baited into chasing him for. Harry grinned as the Slytherin boy's face grew redder and redder with anger. Malfoy hurtled insults at Ron and got beaming smiles in return.

"The Snitch!" Harry cried out five minutes later and stood up. "By the Gryffindor goalposts."

"You think Ron will see it?" Neville questioned and stood beside Harry.

"As long as he gets in front of Malfoy, he should be able to get it," Harry answered with a shrug. "We've worked on so many stretch drills that Ron might try and catch the Snitch in his dreams now." The Snitch disappeared in the bright light of the sun when Harry tried to keep track of it.

"How insufferable will Ron be if he gets the Snitch?" Hermione asked with a small laugh. "His head is already the size of his broom."

"We could always hope it won't be too bad," Harry answered and Neville nodded. "It looks like Ron's seen the Snitch."

Ron dove for the ground from high above the stadium. Malfoy took a moment before shooting off after him. It was clear Ron saw something because he was aimed at the Ravenclaw seating area by their tower. The Gryffindors held their collective breaths as the two Seekers flew at something only they could see at the new Nimbus 2001's top speed. Ron kept his lead as he leveled out near the Ravenclaw stands. Harry grinned when he saw Malfoy trying to control his broom as he came out of the steep dive. He felt proud of Ron and knew it was less about Harry coaching him and more because his friend put hours of practice into flying.

"Ron is leveling out to catch the Snitch! Malfoy is leagues behind him and falling back," Lee shouted.

"He's got this," Harry said with a grin. "Gryffindor Wins!"

Harry's prediction came true less than a minute later when Ron grabbed the Snitch uncontested. Malfoy tried to blame Ron for jinxing his broom but Madam Hooch ignored the red-faced boy and called the game.

"_Gryffindor __w__ins_!" Lee screamed and danced around the commentator's box. Professor McGonagall had a huge grin on her face as she tried halfheartedly to calm Lee Jordan down.

"I did it! I did it! I got the Snitch!" Ron bellowed as he clutched the golden ball in his hand when Harry, Neville, and Hermione joined the Quidditch team in the locker room.

"He's been like that since he got it," one twin spat and rolled his eyes.

"We thought about cursing him but he'd probably not even notice," the other twin said with a laugh.

"Well done, Ron!" Hermione said and gave the stunned boy a hug.

"Well done, mate. All that hard work and you showed Malfoy who was the better flyer," Harry said with a grin.

"You still won't get me on a broom," Neville declared as Ron yelled his excitement into the small room. "Not even for all the Galleons in the world and especially if I acted like that when I got a silly golden ball."

Harry and Hermione laughed, used to the round-faced boy's awkward humor. The hardcore Gryffindor fans all howled in protest at the Snitch being called a silly golden ball. Everyone went up to the Gryffindor common room to celebrate. Fred and George opened a few of their Butterbeer bottles and passed them around. Harry enjoyed the party for a bit before retreating to the Study Classroom to review the tests they turned in before the Quidditch game. Staying true to the spirit of the test, they answered all the questions without using reference material, however they made a copy of all the questions to check over later.

"Why do you think Percy didn't use a tutor over the summer?" Harry asked into the silence. He and Hermione were going over the Potions questions from the tests. His stomach felt queasy as he realized how much more he could have said on each of the questions and wondered what he would be scored. He was talking about anything that came to mind to calm his nerves even though he knew the tests wouldn't be marked against him.

"He might want to complete all the courses without help or more likely it will look better when he enters the Ministry. I might do the same," Hermione admitted with a blush.

"I could care less about the Ministry. I think I'll take a tutor even if it is nothing more than to get exposed to more magic," Harry mused as he flipped the page. "I'm kind of upset at myself. There is so much more I could have answered on some of those questions."

"I know I got at least two answers partially correct and maybe one wrong," Hermione admitted with a sigh. Her face turned red and her eyes watered. "We tried so hard."

"I know," Harry said with a sigh and closed the book. "At least we can learn from this and get better," he consoled himself and stared at the yellow wall. "I found a possible place closer to the Library. It is on the other side of the Study Rooms by the North corridor on the fourth floor. I'll see if it is worth converting to our needs. How about let's make a list of things we want to have on hand or have for comfort instead of depressing ourselves with this."

"We won't know what we got wrong," Hermione muttered as she flipped through a few pages in a hurry.

"We'll know tomorrow how we did and can go from there," Harry suggested with a tired sigh.

"I can't wait to send in our acceptance forms!" Hermione gushed and closed her book. "I couldn't sleep all night thinking about it."

At lunch the next day, Professor McGonagall passed them letters to meet her after lunch in her office. Both Harry and Hermione tried to contain their excitement. Ron was still riding the high of winning the match and was basking in the fame that came with it. He kept retelling the same story of how he spotted the Snitch and flew faster and faster to catch it. Malfoy was in a horrible mood and insisted Ron did something to his broom. The other Slytherins gave the blonde boy a wide berth in the corridors.

Harry spotted Daphne's barely concealed smirk when she thought no one was looking. The Great Hall was booming with conversation and excitement as they talked about the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match the previous day. At the end of lunch, Harry and Hermione sprinted for Professor McGonagall's office. They waited outside with shaking hands while looking at a battered pocket-watch Harry found in one of the Storage Rooms he checked over the day before.

"Right on time," Professor McGonagall announced with a small chuckle. "Have a seat as I know both of you have been waiting."

Harry felt his face flush as he sat in the left chair and sat forward. His hands shook harder so he clenched his fists to try and keep his frayed nerves from showing. Hermione sat beside him and breathed hard, her eyes locked on one of two envelopes on the desk in front of the professor.

"I finished both of your tests last night and struggled this morning on how to proceed. I spoke to the Headmaster this morning about what to do with the two of you," Professor McGonagall said with a tight-lipped smile. "The questions you were given are to push you and show you how much more you need to learn. They are ten-year-old O.W.L. questions released by the Ministry for this very purpose. Both of you… well… I suppose you want to see how you did?"

Harry and Hermione glanced at each other before turning back to the professor. Hermione gulped and Harry thought the room was warmer than it had been a minute ago. "Yes, professor," he managed to get out. His palms were sticky against the rough leather of the arm-chair.

"One for each of you," Professor McGonagall announced with a smile. She waved her wand and floated a letter to each of them.

Harry broke open the letter with the Hogwarts seal and gulped. Sweat beaded on his forehead. His hand shook as he drew out the yellowed parchment and read. His heart beat faster as he looked at Hermione. A cold ball settled in the pit of his stomach.

"I… I failed with Poors and one Dreadful," Hermione muttered, tears falling from her eyes. She looked at Harry.

"I failed as well… Poors in all subjects except History of Magic. I got a Dreadful," he announced feeling disheartened.

"I would like to remind both of you that you are second-year students. Second-year students who would have passed their O.W.L.s with remarkable results if you'd been given this test at the end of the term. That is an achievement you should both be proud of. Twenty points to both of you for your hard work. I know your skill levels and magical ability from last year and it has grown by leaps and bounds in a matter of a few months. That is nothing to cry at, Miss Granger. You will be recognized as Magical Prodigies if you decide to release this information." Professor McGonagall had a shining film over her eyes as she spoke. "Harry, your mother would have been so proud."

Harry felt a little better about the Poor marks when he realized the professor was correct. They were second-year students and could pass their O.W.L.s with a little more work and time. They had more than two and a half years to improve and learn. Hermione's tears stopped as a small smile stretched her face.

"The Headmaster and I will watch you closely over the next few months and during the rest of your schooling while you are at Hogwarts to ensure you have the best education we can provide. Both of you will focus on solidifying your magical knowledge in the meantime. It is a… trying time for the Headmaster with what has happened. I will act in his stead for any questions and guidance you might need. You have until the end of the term to finish the list I gave you," the professor instructed with a broad smile. "I am so proud of both of you. Keep it up."

Harry and Hermione ran back to the Study Classroom to find Neville asleep on the sofa. A stone pot lay on the floor under the sofa and dirt was scattered all over the floor. The friends shared a smirk as they looked at the sleeping round-faced boy. "Let's go over what we got wrong!" Harry suggested and heard his voice crack.

Time flew by as the second Quidditch match of the year approached. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw were at each other's throats because the Slytherins started a whisper campaign against Cedric Diggory, the new Hufflepuff Captain, and Seeker of the team. Harry only knew it was the Slytherins because of a snide comment Malfoy made to his cronies. The arrogant Slytherin's reputation took a hard hit when he lost against Ron and the Gryffindors. Draco looked for any way to regain his lost reputation and vent his frustration.

Malfoy and Ron got into an argument after double Potions one Wednesday. The Slytherin boy threw a firecracker in Ron's cauldron, causing it to explode and cost Ron the points for his class that day. Ron called Malfoy an unskilled hack of a Quidditch player that required daddy to buy his way onto the team. Draco, red with rage, tried to curse Ron but Harry was quicker.

"Protego," Harry called as he whipped his wand out of his dueling holster. The shield blocked the spell and sent it harmlessly into the wall. "Carpe Retractum," he called and whipped his wand in a quick motion. An orange spell flew from his wand and hit Malfoy's robes. Harry jerked his wand backward and catapulted the screaming Slytherin toward him, face first. Malfoy hit the floor and skidded to a halt in front of Harry. "My mistake, I didn't mean to pull trash toward me. Here, let me help you back to where you were," Harry sneered and pointed his wand at the wide-eyed boy. "Depulso," he muttered and swept his wand with a forward motion. Draco screamed as he was flung backward and hit Crabbe in the chest with his head.

"Harry, Harry, you can't attack other students," a smiling voice called from up the corridor. "He may have attacked your friend but you are far more skilled than he is," Gilderoy scolded with a bright smile.

Harry felt his eye twitch as he fought himself from using the Banishing Charm on the professor. "Sorry, professor, he attacked my friend," he explained in a dull voice.

"Yes, yes, I saw. Ten points from both of you for attacking another student and a detention for both of you. With Argus out of commission, I think cleaning the trophy room will be good for you Mr. Malfoy. Harry, I will need a word and your time so you will serve your detention with me," the professor said with a larger smile.

Harry wished he'd cursed the professor when he realized what the detention entailed. "Fan mail? I'm replying to fan mail?" he asked, horrified.

"Yes! I have many ardent admirers that need to be responded to. Remember when you are famous… well more famous… but not as famous as me," the professor said with a bright smile," that you should always spend time and reply to your fans." Gilderoy pulled out a decorative peacock feathered quill and an inkpot. "Separate the letters out by category. Some are less than acknowledging of my talent but those malevolent writers are few and far between."

Harry hated every moment of the detention. He swore he would never get caught by Lockhart again if he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. The professor boasted the entire night about his achievements and all his adoring fans. Harry had to read aloud many of the letters from adoring witches, many who professed their love and desire to marry the famous wizard. One witch went a little too far in Harry's opinion and Gilderoy had to confiscate the moving photo from Harry's frozen fingers.

"Ahem… some of your fans may be more keen on getting your attention than others," Gilderoy said with a small cough and slid the letter and photo into a separate, smaller pile on the edge of the desk.

Harry endured another thirty minutes before Lockhart would let him leave. Listening to Lockhart boast how he would catch whoever petrified the caretaker grated on Harry's nerves. While he was saddened the cantankerous old caretaker was petrified, the image of the dying portraits stayed with him more. Harry nicked three letters out of the hate mail pile to look over later. All three wizards claimed Gilderoy was a fraud and cheat for stealing another wizard's work. Gadding with Ghouls was specifically mentioned as not having been a threat to the small village in Turkey.

"Harry! I have an excellent way to show you my dueling skills," Lockhart announced one morning at the start of his Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "You have done such a good job being my assistant, I feel you and all the other students should learn the noble art of dueling," Lockhart said as he beamed at the other students and threw his arms wide to a smattering of applause.

"This weekend, on Saturday at three, I will host a little Dueling Club. Professor Dumbledore gave the all-clear for me to guide you through the difficult and dangerous task of learning dueling. With my expert knowledge, you will soon be able to battle against the most difficult opponents," the professor boasted.

Lockhart pulled Harry aside. "I hope you will join us next Saturday. It will give you a small taste of what I can offer you," he tempted with a beaming smile. "Off you go to your next class and I'll see you Saturday!"

"You think Lockhart could beat Professor Flitwick?" Harry mused with a snort. The Gryffindors were huddled around a large poster of Gilderoy's beaming face and the announcement of his Dueling Club. It required all students to be second-year or higher to attend.

"Could I take pictures of you dueling, Harry?" Colin asked from the back of the group with an excited giggle.

"I'm not sure that would be wise," Harry hedged as he looked at his friends. They gave him knowing smirks back. Colin Creevey tried to get Harry to pose for pictures whenever they met in the common room or in the corridors. It annoyed Harry to no end. "Have you looked into starting a school paper?" Harry questioned the first-year. He wanted Colin to focus on something other than him.

"Oh yes! Professor McGonagall said I needed to be a second-year to start any official clubs, but I've already started to gather a lot of material!"

Harry suppressed a shudder when he remembered the enthusiastic boy snapping photos at everyone during the last Quidditch match. They found Colin dangling from the rafters by his ankles with his robes tied around his feet after two older Slytherins took umbrage to his excessive use of his camera. They were nice enough to not break his camera in spite.

"You sure you don't want to come?" Ron asked as he sat down and draped a towel around his neck. He'd finished a hard workout while Harry focused on trying to read over Neville's Potions homework and give him pointers. Hermione disappeared into the library that morning to plan hers and Harry's continued progress and topics to pursue.

"Nope, I can't see anything good coming from going to the Dueling Club. I know enough already from the books I bought."

"I'm not sure if I should go, too," Ron said with a sigh as he pulled his wand out of his pocket. "The unicorn hairs are sticking out more and my spells fizzle. I should have got a new wand with the money dad gave me."

"Did you sit on it again?" Harry asked with a smirk.

Ron's face turned red but he didn't answer. "I heard Professor Snape will be teaching the class too," Neville said with a shudder. "I definitely don't want to go."

"Wait, Professor Snape will be teaching the class and not Lockhart?" Harry asked looking up from the parchment in his hand.

"I don't know for sure. I heard Malfoy and Parkinson muttering about it at the end of Potions yesterday," Neville answered with a shrug. "Why, does that make you want to go now?"

"Actually, yes, I can waste an hour or two to see if it's true. We know Professor Flitwick won't be able to make it but it would be cool to see how skilled the Potions Master is with a wand."

"Mental," Ron and Neville chorused together and made Harry laugh.

"Can everyone hear me? Can everyone see me? Good!" Gilderoy Lockhart called into the large dungeon classroom. Harry recognized it as one of the classrooms they used for the written exam parts of the end-of-term exams. A wide, long table with white tablecloth ran across the center of the hall. Twenty dueling circles were drawn around the room in chalk. The long table was a foot off the floor and creaked under Lockhart's weight as he walked from one end to the other.

"I'm so glad all my favorite students have joined me today!" Lockhart said with a beaming smile. His eyes locked on Harry's and his smile widened. "Our brightest wizards and witches of the age come together for my little dueling exposition and club."

A bang made a few people jump and Harry draw his wand under his cloak. He turned to see Professor Snape stride into the hall, his face a blank mask as his eyes swept over the room. They landed on Harry and a gleam seemed to emanate deep within the professor's eyes.

"Welcome, Severus! My partner for the club," Gilderoy declared. Professor Snape glowered at all the students, cowing them into silence. "Don't look so down. This will be brilliant!" Gilderoy exclaimed with a laugh.

"A historic tragedy," the Potions Master commented with a sneer at Ron who stood beside Harry.

"Come, come, let us show everyone what we will be learning in the Dueling Club, Severus," Lockhart suggested and cat-walked to the other side of the dueling table and spun with a flourish of his cloak.

Professor Snape grunted and stepped up on the short table. He flicked his hand outward, causing his wand to appear in his hand as if by magic. Harry held his breath and looked between the two professors. He hoped Lockhart would be sent to the hospital wing for the remainder of the term.

"The Disarming Charm is a useful and powerful tool in your arsenal when dueling against a fellow witch or wizard. Enunciate Expelliarmus as _ex-PEL-lee-ar-muss_," Lockhart informed the students and took his time pronouncing the incantation. "You start in the dueling stance, wand forward shoulders squared, and feet set with a little bounce to your knees. This will allow you a better range of movement. Are you ready, professor?" he asked with a boyish grin.

"Always," Professor Snape sneered and moved into a high-ready stance. Harry's book mentioned the unpopular stance because of the difficulty in which the caster had to aim fast attacking spells. The author did mention the stance was superior to many other stances for sweeping or falling wand movement spells in the initial moments of the duel.

"On one… two… _exp__aaa__ah_," Lockhart screamed but was thrown backward when Professor Snape's scarlet spell slammed into his chest. The blonde professor flew backward and bounced twice on the table before coming to a stop near the end. His wand flew high in the air and floated down to the Potions Master's outstretched hand.

The students gasped as the two professors squared off to duel. A few cheered, Harry among them, when Lockhart lost spectacularly. "That was worth coming to see," Harry muttered to Ron.

"Brilliant," Ron whispered back and shot a look at Hermione who had a worried look on her face. "Wish it broke his nose too."

Hermione heard Ron and shot him a scathing look. "Oh, I hope he is all right. That was a powerful Disarming Charm," she muttered and stood on her tip-toes to try and see better.

Gilderoy coughed and sat up. A brilliant smile appeared on his face as he stood and bowed. "An excellent display of the Disarming Charm. I couldn't have done it better myself," he praised as he turned to Professor Snape. The Potions Master glowered at him but tossed him his wand. "Now, gather round, gather round. We'll have everyone square off. Grab a partner and find an open dueling circle. There, there! Don't push!"

Harry shrugged and turned to Hermione with a smirk. A fierce look in her eye told him she'd accept his request but a sneering voice cut through the din. "I think one more example should be shown, _professor_ Lockhart," Professor Snape said and walked to the center of the dueling platform. "Potter, step up here. You strut around the school as if you own it. It's time to show off your skill."

Harry froze and turned to look at Professor Snape. He realized what the gleam in the professor's eye meant. It was a clear provocation and Harry knew he would lose if he stepped up on the dueling platform, however, his heart beat faster. "I don't strut, professor," he answered and moved to the front of the students. A collective gasp ran around the room as he took his place at the far end of the dueling platform, facing the older wizard. He was reminded again how large the professor was, both in size and magical strength. A fierce grin tugged at the corners of his lip.

"Do not smile yet, Potter," Professor Snape warned and adopted a mid-striking stance.

Harry grunted and tried to remember the counter-stance the book recommended. The mid-striking stance was popular with Aurors because of its flexibility. He brought hit wand up and rotated his wrist a little as he'd read before sliding his right foot forward. The oily-haired professor's eye twitched in response.

"You know a few dueling stances! Well done!" Gilderoy called from beside the table. "Disarming Charms on three. One… two… _three_!" he shouted with a red spark exploding out from his wand.

"_Protego_," Harry cast as soon as Lockhart said three. Professor Snape's spell felt like it was already in the air by the time the Gilderoy finished the word. A physical blow struck Harry's stomach as he felt himself slide backward an inch as the scarlet spell bounce off his transparent shield.

"Tarantallegra," Professor Snape spat, casting a gray spell at Harry.

The bright spell flew across the stage and hit Harry who was unable to get another Shield Charm up in time. His legs flopped around as he used the momentum of his flailing legs to flop out of the way of another spell. "_Finite_!" he cried and jumped to his feet. The spell removed the jinx on his legs, allowing him to land on unsteady legs.

"Now!" Gilderoy called and started to step onto the stage between the two duelists.

"Impedimenta!" Professor Snape cried and hit Gilderoy with the Impediment Jinx. He flicked his wand and blocked Harry's Tongue-Tying Curse.

The duel went downhill for Harry from there. It was clear Professor Snape was toying with Harry, causing many Gryffindors to boo and curse the Potions Master. Harry couldn't care less, as he knew the professor could run circles around him with his eyes closed. Every spell he was able to block or dodge meant Professor Snape would send another, faster spell at him. Harry found himself on the ground with his legs flopping around when his opponent cast a different spell at him. "Serpensortia!" Professor Snape hissed.

A large black snake shot from the professor's wand and landed on the platform. It hissed and immediately slithered toward Harry. "Finite!" Harry cried and rolled away, trying to keep some distance between him and the fast-moving serpent. "Depulso!" he cried, hitting the snake as it lunged at him, fangs flashing. The black snake flew backward toward Professor Snape who flicked his wand.

Hissing and writhing, the snake flew higher into the air before dropping back onto the platform. It hissed and turned on the closest student to it. Katie Bell jumped back, startled when the snake lunged at her but missed.

Harry acted without thinking, "_Stop_! Don't attack her" he yelled and cast an Exploding Charm at the snake. The snake's head exploded, spraying everyone around the snake with greenish blood.

Silence descended over the whole room as everyone stared at Harry, open-mouthed. "Parseltongue," Professor Snape whispered and raised his wand again, aimed at Harry's face.

"Enough!" Gilderoy yelled and jumped in front of the two duelists. "That is quite enough! That will be all for tonight."

Ron and Hermione grabbed Harry by either arm and all but ran him out of the room. Harry was confused and tried to pull away. "What are you doing?" he questioned but Ron refused to let go.

"Why didn't you tell us you were a Parselmouth?" Ron spat as he rounded on Harry at the end of the corridor.

"Parselmouth? I can't speak to snakes. What are you talking about?" Harry questioned, looking between his pale-faced friends.

"Harry, you hissed at that snake before… before killing it," Hermione said in a slow, breathless whisper.

"It was going to attack Katie again," Harry explained with a shrug. "Yeah, I used and Exploding Charm to end a very dangerous threat to a fellow Gryffindor."

Hermione pursed her lips and eyed Harry. "Mate, you were talking to the snake. You sounded like a snake. It looked at you when you spoke to it!" Ron shouted. His hands shook as he clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Mate, this is really bad news!"


	9. Chapter 9: Tragedy and Aurors

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

_In my profile, I spoke about Harry___ (the spirit of the character)_ running off while writing the chapter. While things went down this path early, I can't say I'm upset with the next series of events. It helps shape Harry into becoming what he will be by the end of the third and fourth books._

**Chapter 9: Tragedy and Aurors**

Harry's name was whispered around the school for the next week as being a dark wizard. Speaking Parseltongue and killing the snake made many in the school suspect him for opening the Chamber of Secrets. The knowledge Salazar Slytherin, a notable and dark wizard who spoke Parseltongue, created the Chamber fueled the rumors that Harry was his descendant. After the incident at the Dueling Club, students tried harder to uncover the mysterious attacker that petrified Mr. Filch, made Mrs. Norris disappear, and caused two ghosts to become corporeal. Harry's defeat of the Dark Lord caused many to believe he was going to be a stronger, darker wizard that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been.

"Off to petrify someone else?" an older Slytherin called from the end of a corridor. "Make sure it's a Mudblood this time!"

"Ooo! It's Potter! _Run_!" a Hufflepuff girl screamed and ran off with her two first-year friends.

"Make way for the next Dark Lord, off to curse his way to power!" Fred called as George marched in front of Harry and glared at everyone.

Harry tried not to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation. He felt a creeping fear linger in the pit of his stomach for being a freak again. His peers sneered at him for working harder on his magical studies but it didn't bother him. It did bother him that people he thought as friends in the Gryffindor tower turned on him when they thought he was a dark wizard. A quiet voice in the back of his head told him to prove them right.

"Don't let it bother you, mate," Ron said one afternoon in the storage room they moved into.

The group picked the second-to-last storage room after searching through all the available rooms. The first storage room looked like it was used regularly by many people. They found bottles of amber liquid stashed behind a crate near the door and a small Potion lab behind a wardrobe at the back. The second room had a bunch of wardrobes full of prop clothing and female clothes. Hermione blushed a bright red and slammed one of the wardrobes before locking it with the strongest spell she knew. She refused to let anyone look in the wardrobe and jinxed Ron when he tried to remove her spell.

The room they chose had lots of dilapidated tables and chairs piled to the ceiling from across the centuries. Harry saw potential in the room as soon as he saw it. The last room had a lot of desks and crates of candle holders scattered around the small room. After explaining his idea to the group, everyone decided to go with the third room because of the sheer amount of usable material available and the uninteresting aspect of the room.

"It doesn't," Harry lied and waved his wand. Two tables floated higher and stacked themselves on top of the wall of tables. He enlarged sheets of parchment and charmed them to be the color of stone before sticking them behind the tables. He wanted to make it look like the room was a lot smaller than it was.

"If you keep this up, people will think you really are a dark wizard," Neville said with a laugh. "You're making a secret hideout and have potions boiling way at all times of the day. I can't believe you stole five cauldrons from Professor Snape's storeroom."

"I've cleaned them so much they might as well be mine," Harry shot back with a grin. "Hermione and I are working through the practical potions we can do safely. I'm so bloody pumped!"

"She did that to keep you from brooding," Ron said with a snort.

Harry felt his bubble of elation deflate some as his thoughts turned back to him being a freak, even in the wizarding world. "Ah, well, at least we're brewing again," Harry muttered and continued his spell work.

"_Attack_! There has been an attack! Run for your lives!" a boy yelled and ran past the Great Hall, headed for the Entrance Doors. A small rainstorm drowned out whatever the boy was screaming as he disappeared into the haze.

"Wasn't that Eddie Carmichael?" Harry asked as he turned to Neville. They had just finished lunch and were headed to Charms when the Ravenclaw ran by.

"No clue," Neville answered with a shrug and looked around.

Three more students ran up the stairs screaming, their faces contorted in masks of horror. Harry drew his wand and made his way past the fleeing students. He followed the sound of excited babble and yelling until he found a large group of students clustered around something on the floor next to the wall.

"Make way for the True Slytherin Heir," a sneering voice called. Draco stepped out of the crowd and parted the clustered students. "Come to admire your handiwork, Heir Potter?"

"I followed the screams," Harry said and fell silent as he saw what the other students were looking at. Blood read letters were written on the wall over the still form of Colin Creevey, his camera covering his face.

"Death to all Muggle-borns. Run for your lives." Malfoy read aloud with a sneering laugh. "Nice of you to join our cause, Heir Potter."

"Shove it, Malfoy," Harry growled and crouched over Colin's body. By touching the first-year's exposed hand, he realized the boy was petrified and not dead.

"Disperse! _Disperse!_" Professor McGonagall yelled into the mass of students. "Mr. Potter, step away from the poor boy." Harry turned to see his Head of House's stern and worried face.

Harry was taken to Professor Dumbledore's office after Madam Pomfrey took charge of Colin's body. "I didn't hear any voices, sir," he answered to the Headmaster's pointed questions. "It was so loud in the Great Hall from everyone talking about their Christmas holiday plans."

Professor Dumbledore looked older and paler then Harry remembered. "Things may change after the break, Harry. I fear I may become unwelcome in Hogwarts should more attacks continue. You are a smart lad. Do you have any theories on who or what could be causing these attacks? No matter how far-fetched they might seem," the Headmaster asked with a tired sigh. His twinkling eyes met Harry's as he warmed his hands by the fire.

"Mr. Malfoy is somehow related to this issue but I can't see how. It could be Dobby, acting on his master's orders, but that doesn't seem right either. A house-elf can't knowingly hurt a wizard, it's basically brainwashed into them if what I read was correct. What we wizards have done to that race is monstrous. Yes, they were created by wizards, but they are sentient! Anyway, unless Mr. Malfoy has a spy or an agent within Hogwarts, then all he did was set up the plan. Unless you know something I don't, I can't figure out how these attacks are occurring. My gut says Voldemort because of my scar but even now I'm questioning if it wasn't just a twinge or my imagination."

"Alas," Dumbledore sighed and massaged his reddened knuckles. "I tried everything I know to find the culprit. I cannot find whoever or whatever is attacking my pupils and staff. They do not appear to be anywhere within the castle that I can find. The Chamber of Secrets is a dark clue, but I do not understand how it could be opened again," the aged wizard muttered to himself.

"Opened again?" Harry questioned, perking up and looking at the Headmaster.

"It is not my place to explain even when history remembers a falsehood. Return to your studies. I heard from Professor McGonagall how well you and Miss Granger are progressing. Do not be blinded by the allure of all types of magic as I was. All magic leaves a lasting mark on the wielder, both good and bad," Professor Dumbledore warned with a stern look.

"I haven't been practicing dark magic," Harry said with a sigh. "Just because I can supposedly speak Parselmouth doesn't mean I'm a dark wizard, sir," he huffed and crossed his arms.

"I know you haven't cast dark magic, Harry. I would be able to smell and feel the crisp smudge of magic that accompanies all dark magic. You will be able to sense it as well once you grow older."

"I'm glad you at least believe me," Harry muttered.

"Parseltongue was used for great healing in centuries past and has been tainted by two powerful dark wizards in recorded history. There are Parselmouths across history that have performed wondrous healing magic but humans tend to remember the bad more than the good. Think of your ability to speak to snakes as a blessing for now and not a curse. Old Magic, such as Parseltongue, has innate power many spoken languages have yet to achieve."

Harry was dismissed after the Headmaster advised him to wait a little longer before experimenting with Parseltongue. The Slytherins cheered Harry whenever he passed and hissed at him when he ignored them. Harry and Hermione's letters from the Ministry congratulated both of them entering the program and sent them a long list of approved tutors they could choose from if they wished. The program would officially start for them the day they got back from Christmas break. Harry and Hermione continued to push themselves to try and learn as much as they could until then.

"I don't know how many Muggle-born students will come back after the break," Hermione announced to the group when she sat down in the new Study Club's meeting room. Harry found the storeroom had a fireplace at the back of the room, hidden among a pile of broken chairs and tables. Hermione warmed her hands by the fire and sighed. "The Daily Prophet had a small article in the back of the paper, but Professor Dumbledore has suppressed the incidents so far. I don't know if he will be able to keep it up if something else happens."

"The Headmaster said something similar when I spoke to him after Colin's attack. While he is just petrified and can be healed, a mysterious attacker at Hogwarts has everyone with a brain on edge," Harry said with a sigh.

"Gran knows more than she said in her letter. I may not be able to come back after the break," Neville announced into the silence.

"_What?!_" the others cried as they turned to the round-faced boy.

Neville put down his flashcard and sighed. "Gran mentioned the Chamber of Secrets had been opened before and a student died. She was a young witch but heard it from her mother who sat on the Wizengamot at the time. She told me to let all of you know to think about leaving and would be delighted to have each of you continue your magical education at the Longbottom estate." Neville shrugged and sighed. "I don't want to though. Gran can be… intense."

"Thank her for the offer, but I'll stay," Harry announced with a shrug. "I'm going to continue to work on our new place, which needs a name by the way, while you guys are gone."

"I'm staying too mate, mum will never let me fly and practice at home!" Ron said with a muttered curse. "We've got a cup to win!"

Harry tutored Neville for a few hours a day until his friend left for the break with Hermione. Malfoy signed the parchment of students who were going to say for the break, which Harry found unusual. He was confident Draco didn't know about whatever his father set in motion. Not only would he incriminate himself with his excessive boasting but it might also draw attention to his father's plan.

Another downside to Harry's performance at the Dueling Club was that many laughed at him for his duel with Professor Snape. Ron, in particular, was angry that Harry accepted the challenge, but Hermione and Neville understood Harry's reasoning. Harry's mood worsened when he realized it was another invisible wall between him and the other students. He appropriated the blackboard from their old classroom and stuck it to the wall of their new hideout. A list of everything he knew about the attacks was listed on the board with the possible suspects and objectives. He learned the tactic from Providence from his Social Science class and knew many Muggle military intelligence agencies used similar diagrams to make connections easier.

"Harry, are you going to come with me to practice?" Ron asked one morning as he did chin-ups on the metal bar in the new workout area he and Harry designed. Four pillars of stone stood near the back wall of the partitioned area with metal bars stretching between them. They could use it to work on arm strength or to practice getting back up on their brooms. He attached cauldrons to bars so they could act as makeshift-weights. A narrow beam was set up for Ron in the corner so he could work on keeping his balance while stretching his hand out for a Snitch. Even with the time invested in the small workout area, nothing worked better than the real experience of Quidditch practice.

"No, I don't think Katie wants me there," Harry answered with a shrug. The relationship between him and the team was strained and Katie was scared of him.

"She doesn't hate you, mate. She was scared is all. I know the rest of the team misses you."

Harry snorted and glanced at Ron. "You mean they miss my broom. Why hasn't Angelina come to ask for it yet?"

Ron deflated and dropped down from the metal bar after his last chin-up. "You can't hide in here forever. If I didn't know better, I'd say you bribed a house-elf to bring you food too."

Harry raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. He used his Invisibility Cloak to get around after the rumors of him being a dark wizard. The simmering cauldron along the fake wall started to bubble and roil. "That'll be the Draught of Peace," he muttered and stood. "Such an advanced potion and yet so simple."

"Simple he says," Ron snorted and sat down in one of the comfortable arm-chairs by the fire. "You haven't made much headway with your diagram," he commented and looked over at the blackboard. "You think you can find the culprit?"

"Finding and catch are two very different things," Harry shot back with a shrug. "Professor Snape showed me how far I have to go before leaving Hogwarts."

"Mate, he was enjoying humiliating you and you kept getting back up with a silly grin of yours," Ron snorted and looked at Harry. "Why can't you just focus on Quidditch? Much safer than trying to duel Snape."

Harry laughed and continued to stir the cauldron. He dropped in the next ingredients from the Potion Clock beside the cauldron and waited. "I heard the school might get closed down if the attacker isn't found." The rumor flew around the school days before the other students left for the holidays.

"I heard it too. Rubbish if you ask me. There is no way the Ministry will close Hogwarts. Even if they did, we'd still receive a magical education," Ron answered with a shrug. "Quidditch, however, they would stop and that cannot stand!"

Harry laughed and continued to brew the potion in silence. His worst fear had a possibility of coming true. Voldemort scared him but being forced to leave Hogwarts terrified him. "What are you getting on your marks for classes?" he asked as he turned back to Ron.

"Don't ask, mate. Don't become another Hermione! I'm doing fine," Ron lied with a small shrug.

"You can't get held back so you can continue to play Quidditch," Harry jokingly said but noticed the red tinge to his friend's face. "Ron… you muppet. That won't work."

"I know, I know, but I'd love to play for the team longer! Maybe they'll let me come back and be a coach like the Chudley Cannons have!"

"Mate, you need to focus on both. What would your mum say if she knew you were ignoring school?"

"Don't bring my mum into this!" Ron shouted with a shudder. "She'd have my head."

"Speaking of your mum, have you told her about Ginny? It's getting to the point that I'm worried about her. I'm not even her brother and can see she's struggling with school," Harry said with a sigh. He didn't like Ginny's constant attention whenever he was around her and it annoyed him how much she wanted to spend time with him and Ron, but he was worried about the signs he saw. Frankie and other younger cadets showed similar detached and dower moods before they attempted self-harm.

"If you like her so much, you can have her as a sister. I don't want her," Ron joked but Harry saw the look of concern on his face. "What do you see that keeps worrying you?"

Harry froze and debated what to say. After a minute, he decided to tell Ron a partial truth. "You already know Providence wasn't all sunshine and lollipops, but sometimes it was worse. The constant learning and pushing by the instructors hit the youngest cadets the worst. We learned to watch out for them, us older cadets. One cadet… well, one cadet, we didn't catch and he hurt himself. I don't want something similar to happen to Ginny."

Ron frowned and processed the new information while tapping his foot. "You think Ginny will hurt herself?" he questioned after a minute. "Mate, she'd more likely hurt someone else. Her curses are getting powerful and she doesn't mind using them to get her way."

Harry pursed his lips and nodded. "She does seem to be angrier now. Maybe she's getting over whatever was bothering her," he said with a shrug. "I could be wrong, that is possible," he jokingly said and grinned at his friend.

"You? Wrong? Has the world ended and all the Muggles joined hands with wizards in harmony?" Ron joked with a laugh.

Harry did come out of the hideout more after Ron declared he couldn't stay cooped up any longer. He'd made new flashcards to review with to pass the time in the common room while Ron talked and joked with the other Gryffindors. While the other students didn't outright hate Harry, they did do their best to ignore or avoid him. It seemed his seclusion did little for clearing his name of being a dark wizard.

"Harry, do you have a moment?" Ginny asked in a small voice one evening.

"Sure, need more flashcards?" he asked and looked up at the fidgeting redheaded girl. She looked pale and smelled like sweat.

"Um… you said that you'd help if I ever needed help," she stated and bit her lip.

"You're my best mate's sister so by the code you are my sister. What can I help you with?" Harry shot back and put away his flashcards. Ginny clutched a black book and hugged it to her chest as if it gave her strength.

"I… I… I need to tell you something," Ginny stammered and looked Harry in the eyes.

A twinge of pain lanced through Harry's head as he locked eyes with Ron's sister. His hand was on his wand before he realized it and had to force his body not to move. "Yes?" he questioned, straining to keep his voice calm.

Ginny's eyes widened as she looked down at Harry's wand poking out of his robes. Her eyes flashed red. "I trusted you!" she shouted, making the common room fall silent. She stormed off in a towering rage.

"What was that about, mate?" Ron asked as he made his way over.

"She wanted to tell me something but my scar twinged. I pulled my wand by instinct," he muttered, confused by the whole encounter.

"She'll get over it, she always does," Ron said sagely and went back to his conversation with Dean and Wood.

A large figure in a dark-brown coat clunked through the hall one night before Christmas. Harry froze when he realized this person could be the attacker and ducked around the corridor. He peeked around the corridor again and drew his wand. The figure had his back to Harry and was tapping on the corridor walls with his wand and muttering to himself. His face turned toward Harry and the sight made Harry gasp in shock. The man's face looked like it had been chiseled out from wood with deep scars across his cheeks and forehead. A bit of nose was missing and he had dark gray, grizzled hair. The most prominent feature the man had was a large electric blue magical eye spinning around in a leather eye-patch over his left eye. Both eyes were locked on Harry.

"Come out, boy," a gruff, growling voice called out. "I'm not whoever is attacking the school."

"That is something the attacker would say," Harry shot back, not lowering his wand.

"Good, you don't trust easily. Constant vigilance will save your life. I am Alastor Moody and Albus Dumbledore asked me to search for the Chamber. You are Harry Potter," Moody announced and stomped over to Harry. His wooden right leg thumping loudly on the stone floor.

"Ron mentioned you and so has Mr. Weasley," Harry said aloud when he realized who stood before him. "You got ousted a couple of years ago from the Auror's office because you were seen as a threat to yourself and the Ministry." Harry didn't lower his wand and instead adopted a mid-guard stance. Everything about the man in front of him screamed of being a veteran like the ones at Providence. Moody's calm, calculated walk left nothing exposed and he exuded an air of competence and leashed killing power.

"I went against the Ministry when they took to attacking werewolves without cause. One particular incident made a boy lose his arm forever. Dumbledore stopped the foolishness but all of us involved in helping the werewolves were punished in one way or another. Put your wand away, boy. I could jinx you into a puddle without breaking a sweat," Moody ordered and came to a stop before Harry.

"Sorry, it's been a tough time recently," Harry lied and hid his wand under his robes like he'd put it away.

Moody snorted and Harry noticed the magical eye focused on his right hand. With a sigh, he holstered his wand but kept his hand nearby just in case. "Right suspicious of everyone, good. Albus has told me a bit about your time here at Hogwarts. Voldemort never died, eh? Not surprised. Scum always finds a way to resurface when you least want it. Show me around the school, it's been a while since I've attended."

Harry felt uncomfortable around the ex-Auror as Moody stomped along beside him, asking questions on what he knew. He didn't tell him everything, not trusting the wizard, and only mentioned what the rumors said. "I'm not sure I understand, sir. What do you mean, do I trust Dumbledore?" he asked as they turned the corner near the second-floor corridor.

"I asked you if you trusted Albus Dumbledore," Moody growled and produced a letter. He passed it to Harry.

"It looks like his handwriting, but it could be faked," he muttered and received an approving grating laugh from Moody.

"Your mind is twisted already, good, never trust anything someone gives you. Read it, boy," Moody growled and stomped ahead to Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom and stopped by the writing on the wall.

Harry opened the letter and glanced over the short note:

Harry, Alastor Moody will be inspecting the school for anything I may have missed. I urge you to trust him as you trust me as he has a great deal of experience in catching dark wizards. It might not be as hard as you think to gain an experienced tutor in Alastor if you were inclined to ask.

Best Wishes,

Albus Dumbledore

"Seems real," Harry muttered and realized a detail he'd missed before. "You said Voldemort's name."

"So what? The scum doesn't get a moniker that makes him sound more powerful than he already is… or was. Did whatever Albus write help you trust me?"

"Some," Harry admitted with a shrug.

Moody barked a laugh and grinned, his gnarled face looking more menacing than normal. "Good, never completely trust anyone. Now, enough dancing around the issue. What do you know, Potter?"

"You'd better come with me then," Harry said with a sigh and turned. "Some things shouldn't be talked about in the halls; the sound echoes too well."

"You and your friends set this up?" Moody questioned when Harry led the ex-Auror into their hideout through the false wardrobe propped up in the corner of the fake wall. He made sure to make the small area near the door look cluttered and left broken bits of table everywhere as a passive alarm. The smashed glass vials near the door helped too.

"I, more than the others, wanted somewhere we could practice spells without being distracted. Last year, we took over an old classroom, but we found this place because it's closer to the library. I liked our old place better but it's hard to ignore reference material two minutes away versus a ten-minute walk."

"This wouldn't fool anyone with experience," Moody grumbled as he stood in the center of their modest studying space, his blue eye spinning around in the eye-patch. "All the same, a second-year pulling this off is praiseworthy."

"Thanks, I guess. Anyway, this is what you want," Harry said and pointed to the blackboard near the fireplace.

"A proper way to do things," Moody growled and stomped over to the board. "Your work, then?"

"What I learned from Providence, yeah. They had us recreate some of the old cold war intrigues with these diagrams. It was a little scary to see what the possibilities might have been with the major players involved," Harry said with a shudder.

"Ministry Aurors will be roaming the castle soon, some of the ones I taught myself. Erase the bit about Parseltongue in case someone stumbles upon this. Rumors can be ignored but evidence in your own handwriting will confirm any questions," Moody suggested and stared at the board. "I see you have food in here already. Can I use this as a temporary base while I search the school?"

"Don't see why not," Harry answered with a shrug. "You weren't given a room like the professors?"

"I was, but never liked staying where people can find me easily. Keeping a low profile will help Albus as well."

Harry left the storeroom after Moody finished questioning him on any information he might have left off the blackboard. Minor details to Harry but the ex-Auror seemed pleased with the amount of information Harry had or suspected. He found Ron to tell him about the grizzled wizard using their hideout as a base of operations.

"Why do you always find the cool stuff!" Ron complained and told Harry he wanted to see Moody.

"I got the feeling Moody didn't like people much," Harry answered with a laugh.

"Dad always said he wasn't right in his head," Ron chuckled and shook his head. "Oh well, want to go out and fly some since you can't use the storeroom?"

"You realize it's snowing outside, right? It's almost Christmas anyway, mate. We haven't played wizard chess in a while. Let's just do that," Harry suggested with a shrug. Cold weather didn't bother him much anymore, but he didn't want to fly in a snow storm.

Christmas was fun but subdued as Ministry Aurors combed the castle on Christmas Eve with serious expressions and gruff attitudes. Harry spotted John Dawlish talking to a cluster of other Aurors in black robes but decided not to speak. On Christmas, Harry received several presents, much more than he'd expected, and a handmade sweater from Mrs. Weasley. Hermione bought him another book on Potions while he got her a book on the Ministry of Magic. Ron got him his own chessmen and he gifted Ron the Chudley Cannons Official Quidditch merchandise he wanted over the summer. Neville took longer for Harry to figure out what to get for him. In the end, he decided to give his friend a Grow-Your-Own-Cheese Guide book as a joke and a small book on the Sunlight Charm from Romania. Neville gave him an old book on popular dueling charms.

Fred and George led the holiday cheer for their family and Harry. While they didn't have a snowball fight outside, they did have an amazing time in the Gryffindor Common Room playing games and getting into trouble with Professor McGonagall because of Harry's new experimental fireworks spell. The charging flaming red horse galloped through the night's sky before exploding into hundreds of little sparks somewhere over the tallest tower. Fred and George were salivating at the chance to learn how Harry did it.

"Ginny seems happier," Harry said as he sat between the twins, talking about their newest ideas for the joke shop they wanted to own.

"She always bounces back, our Gin," Fred said with a laugh. "Has mum's temper though."

"Percy got an earful when she caught him and his new girlfriend snogging in the corner of the library. She threatened to curse his lips off if he didn't focus on his N.E.W.T.s," George added with a laugh.

"Speaking of that, how are you two doing on your O.W.L. coursework?" Harry asked out of curiosity.

"Mum will kill us, but we're only focusing on a couple of subjects so we don't get too bogged down with classes. We want to focus harder on our joke shop items. We could start testing and trials as soon as the end of the term with all the Galleons you've given us," Fred said with a huge grin.

"Yeah, mate. Thanks for all your help. We have a constant supply of materials to test on and promise to pay you back as soon as we are able," George promised with a huge grin.

"I'm not worried about the Galleons," Harry explained and waved away George's promise of repayment. "Which classes are you focusing on?"

"Charms, DADA, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration," Fred said with a shrug.

"Charms and DADA are our main focus. We don't care about the other classes but would like to at least do well in those main classes. Why?" George questioned as he looked at Harry with a smirk. "Want to tutor us like you tried to do with Ron?"

"No, I was wondering if I could borrow your notes," Harry lied with a grin. "Or maybe sell you one of my flashcards."

"We looked over the new flashcards you've made. Harry, that is some pretty impressive magic," Fred praised and looked at George.

"There has been some talk recently. How far ahead of your peers are you and Hermione, Harry?" George questioned after nodding to Fred.

"Why? We aren't that much farther. She and I just put in a lot of work to learn what we can," Harry said with a shrug.

"We'll take two of your Charm flashcards for three Galleons each," a feminine voice called from behind them.

Harry turned to see a nervous Katie Bell and a beaming Angelina Johnson standing by the girl's dormitory stairs. "Oh? Been listening in?" he questioned with a smirk.

"Of course we were," Angelina said with an indignant snort. "The three largest troublemakers in Hogwarts sitting together means something will happen. It pays for a witch to listen in if the three of you are in deep conversation." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat beside Fred. "So, you still good for those cards?"

Harry looked between Angelina and Katie before shrugging. "Charms, you go it. I'll make them tonight and have them to you by morning. Anything, in particular, you want to focus on or just do all of it?" he asked with a smirk.

"Just do whatever you feel is best. Now, how can I get you to come practice with us? I know Ron said you thought Katie hated you," Angelina announced and sat forward. "You did blow up a snake in her face."

"I don't hate you, Harry. I just…" Katie said and trailed off.

"It's okay," Harry said with a shrug. "Professor McGonagall will have my head at some point soon if I don't show up to practice."

"Wait, Harry, I really don't hate you," Katie said as Harry stood.

"It's okay, Katie," he repeated before leaving the common room. Once outside, he knew he was acting childish, but didn't want to listen to the older witch's explanation. It would just remind him again how different he was from the rest of his peers.

Moody was gone from the storeroom when he arrived. He noticed a few, small changes to the hideout that angered him. The experienced wizard changed the fake wall to make it look more believable. It took Harry a while to realize where he went wrong and cursed at himself. The torches around the area burned brighter around the room and the two practice dummies looked different.

Harry walked around the first practice dummy and inspected it. The old dummies were gray with one arm to simulate a wizard holding a wand. A triangular-shaped bottom was attached to the circular torso and had a large, melon-like head shoved on top. The new practice dummy had defined features and could pass for a human statue. One was red while the other was blue. A buzz of magic crackled around both inanimate objects.

"Looks painful, boy," a gruff voice called sometime later as the heavy footfalls of Moody echoed around the storeroom. "Find my little present?" he questioned with a grin.

"Yeah, red for attacks and blue for defense. I didn't expect the speed at which the red dummy attacked my first few rounds," Harry cursed and rubbed at his arm. One of the spells tore open the skin on his arm. At first blood, the dummy went still and did not attack again.

"I've got a potion for you somewhere around here," Moody grumbled and routed around in his pockets.

"No need, sir. I've got three cauldrons brewing Wiggenweld and have a decent supply of my own," Harry quickly answered.

Moody paused and eyed Harry. "Albus did say you were ahead of your peers. I'll be leaving tomorrow. The Aurors will leave a few days later before the other students come back. We couldn't find anything but I have a few more leads that might be important. For that, I thank you. If my hunch is right, I'll be back before the end of the term. Keep your head down and never forget _constant vigilance_. You're in a war zone whether you realize it or not."

Harry felt the hairs on his neck stand on end as the ex-Auror left the storeroom after gathering his things into a large rucksack. His brief interactions with Moody always left him feeling insecure about the future. The older wizard praised him for his cunning mind when they discussed his theories and methods of how he would perform the attacks if he were the one doing it.

"I missed him again?" Ron questioned when he found Harry in the storeroom the next day. "You didn't come back to the tower last night."

"No, I slept here," Harry responded with a shrug. "Very few people even know about this place and Filch is petrified so he won't find me. I wanted to think about the future."

"You mean hide from Katie. Fred told me what happened. Mate, she doesn't hate you," Ron said with a laugh. "Not anymore at least. You walked off before she could say anything."

"Eh, I'm not worried about that. Anyway, have you finished your homework so Hermione won't scold both of us?"

"I've still got a few assignments left," Ron admitted with a sigh. "Think you could help me out some?"

Harry agreed and helped Ron with all five essays before lunch. He made sure to explain all of the concepts in detail before letting his friend write the essay. While he knew Ron didn't care to learn the material, he tried to do the right thing and teach him to the best of his ability. Ron decided he'd had enough of staying inside the castle and wanted to go out and fly. Harry looked around the room and agreed he should go outside for a while.

Hermione and Neville came back to school the day before classes were to start up again. Harry was bored and spent a lot of time reviewing old material without Hermione pushing them along. "Harry! I loved the book, thank you," Hermione gushed and hugged Harry.

"Thanks for your gift too," Harry answered and smiled at Neville. "Thanks for the Charms book, Neville. I read over it some and found a few brilliant spells to try and learn."

"No problem, thanks for the Sunlight Charm. I asked Gran about it and she said it would have cost you a lot," Neville said in a quiet voice.

"I got lucky with my friend at Flourish and Blotts. It wasn't as expensive as you might think," Harry said with a grin. He hoped Neville would be able to learn the spell so he could grow plants inside.

"Oh, Harry, I've got a plan for what we can start on next!" Hermione said in an excited rush. "I can't wait to start on the recommended topics the Ministry will send us!"

"I've got a story or two for you guys from over the break. I met Alastor Moody, or Mad-Eye Moody, who was looking over the castle," Harry told his friend as they walked up the stairs, headed for the Gryffindor Tower.

"The dueling dummy will cause you to bleed!?" Hermione shrieked as she looked Harry over. "I'm sure you've been using it every chance you can," she accused.

"You know he has. He got a nice gash along his left arm just last night," Ron snitched with a smile.

"Oi!" Harry yelled and drew his wand on Ron. "I could try turning you into a weasel!"

"You wouldn't dare touch the golden Seeker!" Ron declared and puffed out his chest.

Everyone laughed as they entered the common room and took seats near the fire. Harry felt happy to have all his friends back together again. They talked and joked until well after curfew.

Harry woke early the next morning and packed his bags for class. He woke Ron so they could go down to the storeroom to workout before breakfast. After their shower, they headed toward the Great Hall. "_Come…__ come to me… let me rip you… let me tear you… kill this time..._" a disembodied voice hissed through the wall.

"The _voice_!" Harry yelled and took off up the corridor. His heart hammered in his chest as he followed the strange voice. He realized what he was hearing after he passed two students who yelled at him. Parseltongue, the attacker spoke the language of snakes and it was why only he could hear it. A deeper, more visceral fear gripped him as he realized it may not be a person attacking the students but a snake instead.

"_Move_!" he cried as two students yelled in shock as he rounded the corner. "Get a professor!" he yelled over his shoulder.

He was on the third floor when a startled, high-pitched scream cut off. His wand held up, he ran harder toward the sound. Another scream reverberated off the walls, farther up the corridor, as he rounded the corner. A small blonde figure stared wide-eyed out the window, her body was frozen in place as she tried to reach for a pair of trainers tied to a small hook above the window. Luna Lovegood, a Ravenclaw first-year, was barefoot and was missing the Ravenclaw patch on her robes. Her face had a startled look as she stared out the window, her eyes frozen in place.

Harry knew it was too late for the girl but maybe the other person who screamed was okay. He shot Red Sparks at the window, breaking one of the crystal clear panes of glass, and sending a sparkling red light out into the grounds below. "Lumos Maxima!" he yelled and pointed his wand behind him as he ran down the corridor. He hoped the light and red sparks would alert one of the professors to where Luna was.

Two corridors later he found an all too familiar scene. A Ravenclaw second-year, Oliver Rivers, lay on his back, his eyes lifeless and staring at the ceiling of the corridor. Harry stepped closer when he realized something was wrong. The boy did not have the pale, washed-out features of the other petrified victims. Rivers' face had a red flush and a finger twitched. "Lumos Maxima," he called and shot the spell into the ceiling.

The entire corridor was lit up with light as he checked both connecting corridors before crouching over Oliver. He felt the warm boy's neck and felt a prickle of fear run through his body. A sound from down one of the corridors made him look up and aim his wand. "Who's there!" he called. The bright light above him made it hard to see into the shadows.

"Mr. Potter? I saw the… dear Merlin… is that young Rivers?" Professor Flitwick gasped as he drew closer. "Mr. Potter, what has happened?"

"I heard the screams, professor. Luna Lovegood is frozen back along the corridor. I just found Oliver… he's… he's dead, sir," Harry reported as a heavy weight dropped down into the pit of his stomach.

"Dead? Certainly not," the professor argued and came closer. He froze a moment later when he looked at the Ravenclaw boy's body. "Dead…" he gasped.

Harry took off his winter cloak and threw it over Oliver's torso and face when he heard more footsteps. "What are you doing?" the diminutive professor asked in a harsh tone.

"Preserving his modesty, like they did for Frankie," Harry answered in a harder voice than he intended. "They don't need to see him like this."

Students appeared from the darkened tunnels and paused to look at the scene before them. Harry crouched over a student with a cloak over his head and Professor Flitwick's hard, angry face. "Caught in the act, Potter?" a sneering voice called.

"Shove it, Malfoy. I will ensure your father pays for this," Harry promised and aimed his wand at Malfoy.

Draco's eyes widened a little but a sneer replaced his surprise. "You'll be in Azkaban," the blonde boy spat.

"_Disperse_!" a stern voice ordered with a loud crack to emphasize her orders. Professor McGonagall appeared with Professor Dumbledore. "Why are all of you still standing there. Return to the Great Hall this instant."

The students muttered to themselves as they dispersed, casting fearful looks at Harry. Professor Dumbledore strode forward a solemn look on his face as he looked between the covered boy, Harry, and Professor Flitwick's tear-filled eyes. "Has… is…" the Headmaster choked as his eyes remained on Oliver's body.

"Albus, leave this to me. You must ensure the school is secure," Professor McGonagall suggested and placed a wrinkled hand on the Headmaster's shoulder.

Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive, cried as he stared at the dead boy in front of him. "You are correct, Minerva," he choked out and turned his eyes to Harry. "There will be trying times ahead, stay strong."

Harry wasn't sure if Professor Dumbledore was speaking to him or himself. He watched the old wizard pull out his wand and turn toward the left passage. Dumbledore spoke under his breath and waved his wand as he marched up the corridor. "Professor, I can explain," Harry said when he felt a rough hand grip his arm.

"I do not believe you did this but everyone else will. Come with me, Filius, please… please bring the boy," Professor McGonagall asked in a gentle voice.

"Quite right, Minerva," the crying professor choked out and waved his wand. Oliver's body floated off the ground, still covered by the cloak. "The Hospital Wing for now."

It took less than an hour for Hogwarts to be swarmed with Aurors. Harry was placed under arrest for the murder of Oliver Rivers and found himself without a wand, imprisoned at the tallest tower of Hogwarts. Rubus Hagrid was led into the same cell as Harry ten minutes later by fifteen angry Aurors.

"I didn't do nothing! Nor did 'arry!" Hagrid bellowed at the bars.

"They don't listen to reason, Hagrid," Harry called from the hard cot by the wall.

"They got no right to do this!" Hagrid muttered and sat down on the stone bench. "What happened, Harry?"

"I know what happened and have a decent lead as to what caused the death of Oliver. They won't listen to me though. The Auror in charge told me if it wasn't a confession, he didn't want to hear it."

"We'll get out of this, Harry. We're innocent," Hagrid comforted.

"The innocent do not escape imprisonment just because they really are innocent," Harry muttered darkly.

Three cold hours later, Harry was pulled from the cell at wand-point. "Harry James Potter, by order of the Minister of Magic, you are placed under arrest for the petrification of Argus Filch and Luna Lovegood. The death of Oliver River will land you a life sentence in Azkaban if you are convicted. You will be held in Azkaban until such time as the Wizengamot arraigns your trial. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" a tall, bald dark-skinned man questioned. His purple robes flapped in the high winds as he glared at Harry.

"No comment," Harry answered with a blank look.

"Then you will be escorted to Azkaban to await your trial, take him away," the Auror ordered and gave Harry one last look.


	10. Chapter 10: To Save A Friend

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

_Thank you for reading so far. This chapter will talk about serious events in Harry's young life and they aren't happy ones. Mild warning that part of the chapter is dark and talks about mature and possible trigger warning themes._

**Chapter 10: To Save A Friend**

Harry was flanked by five Aurors as they descended the tower. He kept his head held high as students hurled insults at him and professors watched on with mixed expressions. Ron, Hermione, and Neville stood in the crowd with stunned looks on their faces. His chest tightened as he realized his friends would be staying in the same place as the monster. He tried to mouth the word _snake_ to Hermione but got hit in the ribs for his effort by a sour-faced Auror. The middle-aged Auror who hit him had pinched, pale face that reminded Harry of someone who hadn't seen the sun in years.

The Aurors led him out of the castle and down the long path to Hogsmeade. "You will be side-along Apparated to Azkaban. The experience will not be pleasant. Try not to lose any fingers or toes," the same sour-faced Auror said with a sneer. The two female Aurors exchanged looks.

Harry felt like he was being forced backward through a tight tube as the world abruptly turned black. Just when he thought he would be squished into nothing, the pain stopped and the smell of the sea assaulted his nose. Wind and rain buffeted him as he was dragged to a massive dark tower in the middle of an island. Painful, piercing cold dug into the marrow of his bones as dark shapes flew through the air above the black structure.

"Aarav, the boy is having a strong reaction," a female voice called through Harry's dimming vision.

A high-cruel laugh pierced his ears and a woman's voice screamed. "_Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry_!" the woman pleaded. A warm blast of air exploded from Harry's chest as the darkness shattered. He sat up, coughing and looking around.

"A small taste of what the Dementors will do to you in here. You won't last long. I just hope you live long enough to stand trial," the sour-faced Auror sneered.

"Quiet, Aarav, this wouldn't be happening if he was Dark. If anything, this may prove his innocence," the blonde witch chided as she moved a glowing owl closer to Harry. Her beautiful face looked concerned as she looked him over.

He could feel the power radiating off the witch's Patronus. "A powerful Patronus," he gasped and felt his entire body shake. His muscles hurt and his body felt cold.

"You must not speak," the Auror ordered but gave him a soft smile. "You will be held on the first floor, away from the worst area of Azkaban until your trial. A guard will be rotated out. I expect your trial to start in a week or so."

Harry nodded, not trusting his sore throat. The Aurors back off and the Owl blinked at Harry before flying to its mistress. Freezing cold air permeated his body as the warmth provided by the Patronus dissipated. His breathing became ragged as he fought to keep the darkness from obscuring his vision again.

"Look at him," one of the male Aurors gasped. "He's…"

Darkness overwhelmed Harry again as the cold rushed into his body. "_The cadet was found by James after lunch. Some of the cadets tied him up in their dorm and hit Bray's body. At some point after they left, Bray hung himself from the headboard of his bed with the bindings,_" a clinical voice reported. Harry's chest pounded as he found himself staring at the bulging eyes of the round-faced cadet. Tears rolled down his cheeks as the scene played over and over again.

"Harry, Harry, _Harry_!" a strong voice called from out of the darkness.

The scene changed, to a few hours earlier in the same dormitory where a scared, round-faced cadet was bound to his bed with bedsheets. Five cadets stood around the frightened boy holding socks. Harry shook harder as one of the older cadets turned to Harry and mouthed something. He tried to block it out, block out what he knew was said and shut his eyes tight. Jeering filled his ears as the scene played out despite his attempts to stop it.

Time distorted for him, broken by brief bouts of waking from his vivid visions. Sometimes he would see a worried-looking brunette witch standing in front of his cell, a fox Patronus sitting at her feet. Others, he would see the same blonde witch with the owl, sitting in a chair by the door. He knew the darkness and horrific dreams would begin again when Aarav took his place as a guard.

While Frankie's death dominated much of Harry's thoughts and visions, the scenes where he saw his mother and father alive gave him a sick sort of comfort. He watched them die, over and over again from over his mother's shoulder, staring into the black eyes of Voldemort. Unable to escape his torment, he tried to physically hurt himself in the dreams to wake up. The Aurors stunned him and healed him whenever they realized he'd drawn blood. For Harry, it was a blessed few hours of real rest.

Two Dementors hovered outside his cell window, their dark faces hidden beneath the hoods of their ragged robes. Any time two or more Dementors arrived, he knew he'd have stronger, more vivid, nightmares.

Harry stood, mute as he stared at the scene in front of him. Five cadets stood around Frankie holding socks. Harry watched on with no feeling anymore as one of the older cadets turned to Harry and mouthed something. Pain shot through his chest and made him wonder what new terrors he'd see. A sort of detached sense of giddiness blossomed in his chest when he realized his breathing stopped. It would be all over soon.

"Make him drink it, Kingsley!" a scared feminine voice said out of the mouth of one of the older cadets as he looked at Harry.

"This was a mistake in the first place," a deep voice said from another cadet.

Harry felt his head yanked back as confusion clouded his thoughts. A moment later, the creeping sensation of sleep filtered through his body and pulled him into complete darkness. Nothing else mattered but sleep.

"Harry, it's time to get up," a soft voice called to him out of the darkness. "Open your eyes," a familiar voice ordered.

He struggled to follow the instruction, afraid of what he might see if he did. Albus Dumbledore sat at the end of a bed with white sheets. He realized a moment later he was in a bed and not on the floor of the cold prison. "Professor," Harry muttered, trying to figure out if what he was seeing was real or another vision.

"You have been through a terrible ordeal, Harry. I am no longer your professor. Please call me Albus or Dumbledore from now on," Dumbledore said with a sad smile.

It took Harry a minute to comprehend what was said. "They sacked you? Lucius won?" Harry asked, his hands clenching into fists.

"The Governors felt I was no longer fit to run Hogwarts, for now. You missed your inquiry, having been admitted to Saint Mungo's Hospital because of your harsh reaction to Azkaban. You were cleared of all charges the moment the Wizengamot heard all the testimonies."

"A snake, the monster is a snake or a person who can speak Parseltongue," Harry blurted out as he looked at Dumbledore.

"Only a few understand this. Your friend Miss Granger brought the information that a Basilisk is loose in Hogwarts. It is the only snake in history who could petrify and kill. The Ministry charged Rubus Hagrid for reopening the Chamber of Secrets. He was framed for it the last time the Chamber was opened and got expelled from Hogwarts when a student died. Hagrid is currently being held in Azkaban until his second trial," Dumbledore informed Harry.

"There is no way it was Hagrid!" Harry said with a gasp.

"Hogwarts will be closed until the Ministry clears the school of the dangerous beast. I suspect, it will be a quick affair, as Fudge doesn't want to draw attention to the scandal. You have been in the hospital for three weeks."

"Three weeks!" Harry gasped as he sat up.

"Your mental health was… in question, so the healers decided to keep you in a dreamless sleep until you recovered on your own."

"That bad?" Harry asked with a shudder. His bones still felt cold if he focused on it.

"I am happy to see you fully recovered," Dumbledore said without answering Harry's question.

"What now? What should we do?"

"You will return to the Burrow until Hogwarts reopens. After that, I will ask you to make a choice. Go back to Hogwarts and possibly protect more innocents or remain at the Burrow and stay as far away from Hogwarts as possible. You know what lurks in the shadows and I'm not convinced the planner of these attacks is in control of the monster. Know this, help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it," Dumbledore informed him. "No matter what you choose, I will support your decision."

Harry nodded, not sure if he could speak. He hoped the Aurors could find the Basilisk and kill it before they foolishly reopened the school. His thoughts turned dark as he remembered the Aurors, causing him to clench his fists. He would not forget them.

"Harry, oh, Harry, I'm so glad you're all right," Mrs. Weasley gushed a few hours later. Dumbledore left after reminding Harry to recuperate and continue to learn. He recommended he begin to try and learn the Patronus Charm to block the effects of the Dementors.

"I'm okay," Harry answered, trying to keep a straight face.

"Nonsense, after a week in Azkaban, no sane witch or wizard would be okay," Mrs. Weasley snapped. "I will make that Cornelius Fudge pay for his ineptitude."

Harry felt nothing as he gazed at the zealous witch's motherly affection. His chest tightened as he remembered the pleading voice of his mother begging for his life and his father's death. He fought to keep a fake smile as Ron, Hermione, and Neville all visited him after Mrs. Weasley left to check when he'd be released. They talked some but it was a strained conversation. Once his friends left, he sat back in the bed and lost himself in his thoughts.

"I'm Healer Belby," a crisp feminine voice called to him from the door. A sandy-blonde middle-aged woman strode into the room and whipped out her wand. "How are you feeling, Heir Potter?"

Harry felt his neck prickle as he heard the name Malfoy had begun calling him. He wished he had his wand but heard from Hermione that Mrs. Weasley had it after the Aurors returned it. "Fine," he lied and watched the healer with narrowed eyes on her wand.

"Are you sure?" the healer questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Quite, thank you," Harry answered, without taking his eyes off her wand.

"My son told me what happened," Mrs. Belby said as she put her wand away. "I'm sorry they threw you in Azkaban without seeing if you were innocent or not first. The Ministry…"

"Is supposed to stun and hold all potential lawbreakers in a secure location in the Ministry before trial," Harry answered and cut the healer off. He wasn't in the mood for pleasantries.

"Quite," the healer muttered and looked Harry over. Her eyes lingered on the burn scars on his face but he didn't look away. "You were never treated here at St Mungo's for your burns. May I ask how you received them?"

"I'd rather not answer that, ma'am," Harry answered woodenly.

"Could I try a few spells to see if I can help smooth out your skin? We witches are rather good at cosmetic changes," Mrs. Belby asked with a wry smile.

"Thank you for the offer, but no. I wouldn't know who I was in the mirror if I changed too much," Harry said with an attempt at a smile.

The healer left after a few more routine questions with one last look at Harry before closing the door. In silence, Harry got lost in his thoughts again as he rubbed his chest with his hands. He felt cold while the heat of the sun through the false window made his skin red. Absentmindedly, he realized the Sunlight Charm was used on the window while an advanced Colour Changing Charm created the serene background behind the glass.

The door opened again and the last person he wanted to see walked in with two other Aurors, one of which he recognized. "Heir Harry Potter, my name is Kingsley Shacklebolt and I am here to apologize for your treatment. I and my colleagues answer to the Ministry. While it does not absolve us of our guilt, we are…"

"Soldiers doing what your general ordered," Harry spat, angry with himself for letting his calm slip. He saw all three Aurors wince at his words. "I have a fair understanding of how the Ministry works," he said in a cold voice.

"We were…" the female Auror with the Owl Patronus tried to say something but Harry shook his head.

"Doing your job. I understand how it works. Many Nazis felt the same." The two male Aurors winced while the young witch looked confused. "You've said what you needed to. Leave."

"As you wish," Shacklebolt muttered and ushered his colleagues out the door.

Harry realized his fists were clenched and blood pooled around his palm. His breath came in ragged gasps as he fought to find his calm again. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the cold settling in around his bones. They left him alone for a few hours until Mr. Weasley came in alone and close the door behind him. He looked Harry over and took a seat by the bed.

"I won't ask how you're doing as the others have probably already done so. They don't know and don't understand how bad Azkaban is. The seeping level of hate, anguish, despair, and death is fueled by and enhances the power of the Dementors. Few who serve their entire sentences escape unchanged. While I haven't had the experience you did, I know my fair share of witches and wizards who have. I spoke to the healer a few days ago. To give you some perspective, what you endured could be equated to three months of psychological torture. Dr. Ubbly's Oblivious Unction was given to you on a regular basis to help soothe your mind. You were removed from Azkaban after nearly dying from the Dementor's effect on you. You were admitted here at St. Mungos under guard to wait for your trial while mediwizards kept you sedated. I won't sugar coat this, you were dangerous when they first tried to resuscitate you for trial," Mr. Weasley said with a somber voice. "Your mental health was in question and you were stunned by four Aurors, three of which visited you a little bit ago. Kingsley, in particular, was released a week ago after his arm was reattached via your wandless Severing Charm. You will not be charged for anything you did."

Harry felt numb while listening to Mr. Weasley's cold and succinct report. Arthur paused and sighed. "Your friends do not know what happened, only that there was a commotion and Hit Wizards were dispatched to your room. Molly and I do not blame you in the slightest. I can't say I'd fare much better in your place. Now, what I need to know before I allow you back in the Burrow is… are you still willing to stay in Bill and Charlie's old room?" the middle-aged wizard asked with a boyish grin.

Harry tried to smile as the tension drained out of his body. "Yes, but you need to know what is going on at Hogwarts."

"Dumbledore filled me and Molly in. We will see what happens in the future but for now, are you still up to learning more magic? I know I have a lot more to learn about Muggles."

Mr. and Mrs. Rivers denied Harry's request to visit and express his condolences. Harry fought to control his random bouts of anger or depression. He holed up in Bill and Charlie's room a lot of the day and spent the rest of it with the Weasley boys. Ron tried to keep Harry engaged with Quidditch as much as possible. Mrs. Weasley treated him as if he would break, making him angrier. Ginny stayed out of the way and talked little. Mr. Weasley spent as much time with Harry as his work would allow, talking about different charms. Harry answered any question Arthur wanted to know about the Muggle world.

Hermione turned up one day and moved in with Ginny a couple of days after Harry got settled in. She seemed chipper and excited to continue pushing their magical knowledge to the limits like nothing happened in the intervening month. Harry did his best to remain friendly and excused himself when he started to struggle with his anger.

Harry's days turned into a blur of books, Quidditch, and studying at the kitchen table with Hermione. One morning, Mrs. Weasley unfurled the Daily Prophet and gasped. "Hogwarts will be reopening next week. Aurors will be stationed at the school for the rest of the semester to ensure the safety of all students after the tragic death of Oliver Rivers," she read aloud.

"Any mention of if the school is safe?" Harry asked a minute later.

"The Prophet doesn't mention anything other than the school will reopen," Mrs. Weasley said with a frown.

"I'll be returning then," Harry said with a shrug. He'd given Dumbledore's conversation a lot of thought and decided to return to Hogwarts, for good or for ill. Hermione gave him a worried look but set her shoulders and declared she would return as well.

"I will speak to Arthur tonight," Mrs. Weasley said with a pinched look on her face as she looked at Harry.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talked deep into the night. Harry listened to their muffled speech as he read by wand-light. He slept little, the visions he'd seen in Azkaban awoke him every time he tried to sleep. Hedwig was a quiet comfort every night and would hoot at him until he woke from his nightmares. He learned to use the Muffling Charm every night before he went to bed so Mrs. Weasley wouldn't get worried and talk to him the next morning. In the end, the Weasleys decided to return to Hogwarts, the promise of Aurors protecting the students helped sway their decision.

Portkeys were provided for every family that wanted to return to Hogwarts. The term would begin again on February 7th. Fred and George stopped him the night before going back to Hogwarts on the stairs. "Mate, got a second?" one twin asked and hooked a thumb over his shoulder toward their door.

"Sure, what's up?" Harry answered and followed the twin into their room. After he closed the door, both twins gave him a penetrating stare. "Yes?"

"What did you give to Katie and Angelina? Fred and I just got a letter from Angelina. Do you have one of the flashcards on you?" George asked with an excited expression on his face.

"Sure, I never leave my trunk without all seven cards," Harry answered with a shrug. He took a few out and passed it over to the twins.

"Seven?" Fred asked as he flipped over a red card to look on the back.

"Red for Transfiguration, black for DADA, orange for Charms, brown for Potions, green for Herbology, yellow for History of Magic, and purple for Astronomy," Harry ticked off the subjects with his fingers.

"How advanced is the magic in these?" George asked with a glance at Fred.

"Not bad by any stretch of the imagination. If I can do it, I know you two can too. Why? Want to make your own cards?"

"Not if Angelina is right. Your cards stumped her and made Katie mad enough to break out a book, oh the horror," Fred joked and tapped a black card with his wand. "This aquatic spell can be used to create a thin fountain or a powerful torrent of water depending on the caster's will," he read aloud and scrunched up his nose.

"Don't look at me, I don't know," George said after Fred shot him a questioning look.

"Aqua Eructo," Harry said and tapped the card. The card flashed a moment before a new question wrote itself on the card. "The results look more impressive than the magic it took to create it."

"There are so many possibilities you could do with this. Make your head invisible with a hat or better yet make a Bubble-Head Charm stay around your head so you could breathe in Herbology," Fred moaned and looked at Harry.

"You've got to teach us how to do this," the twins chorused.

Harry laughed a real laugh for the first time in weeks. "I'm telling you, it's not hard."

Chambers Fawley, a tall Auror with short brown hair in long brown robes, assisted everyone at the Burrow with Portkeys and helping them prepare for the long-distance travel. The Auror seemed skittish around Harry. He gave Harry a quick run-down of how the Portkey worked and warned him not to let go of the boot go or his trunk. Without another word, he activated the spell and passed the boot to Harry.

The spinning darkness and vertigo didn't affect him when he landed on a large down pillow in the middle of Hogsmeade. Students were appearing with their trunks one at a time on twenty cushioned landing zones. A growing pile of rubbish lay near four tents with healers standing by. Harry stood, drew his wand, and cast the Locomotion Charm on his trunk.

"Potter," a cool voice called.

Harry turned to see Kingsley Shacklebolt eyeing him closely. "If you feel dizzy or out of sorts, healers are standing by," the Auror said as his eyes roamed over Harry's body.

"This is nothing now," Harry said with a shrug. "I'd like to apologize for the incident at St. Mungo's."

"I was not permanently maimed and my teacher, Mad-Eye, would have done worse. I apologize for what happened all the way around," the Auror said with a glance behind Harry. "You should never have gone or been forced to stay for so long. An official statement and reimbursement will come shortly, but I believe it will have little comfort and for my part in it, I am sorry."

"It was a wake-up call," Harry said after a minute of watching more students arrive. Many of them threw up or couldn't walk for minutes after landing. Healers treated the stricken students with practiced ease and a liberal use of potions.

"I'm… I see," Shacklebolt said in a quiet voice. "Mel would like to speak to you whenever you are willing. She shielded you as best she could. Rona, well, she wishes you well."

Harry gave the dark-skinned Auror a sideways glance before moving off toward the castle. He heard his name muttered a few times as he stomped his way up to the Gryffindor Common Room. Most of the students looked listless and oblivious to their surroundings but a few met Harry's eyes with nods or sneers.

Katie Bell gave him a wan smile from the bottom of the girl's stairs. "Hiya, Harry," she said in a sing-song voice and wandered off to one of the open arm-chairs near the fire.

"She'll feel better like the rest in a while," a cheery voice called when Harry turned back around. Angelina grinned at him and looked him over. "Those cards you sold us are brilliant. Do you offer them for all the core classes? I might have a few people that would be interested in buying a few more off you."

"I do and I'll see how I feel a little later about that offer," Harry answered and tried to give his friend a smile. It felt forced and he saw Angelina's eyes soften.

"Okay, Harry," Angelina said and patted his shoulder as she walked by him. "Thank you again, for those study cards. I didn't realize how far I have to go. I'll pay whatever you want for a full set. I might not pass all my O.W.L.s but I really think those cards could help me."

Harry went to his dormitory and noticed none of the other boys had returned yet. He directed his trunk to the foot of his bed and canceled the charm. "Atholl," he muttered and watched as the trunk lid popped open. His books were scattered around the bottom of his trunk. He hadn't checked his trunk or used any of his books, relying on the bookcase in the Weasely's living room for material. It sent him into a towering rage when he realized the Ministry Aurors searched through his trunk sometime after they arrested him. It surprised him to find the banned book still in his trunk and wondered if it had been missed or the Aurors decided it wasn't worth taking.

He spent some time resorting his books and checking his ingredient supplies. Ron arrived while he was checking his vials for any expired potions. "Mate, you didn't wait for us," Ron complained as he sat down on his bed. His trunk popped into existence at the foot of his bed.

"How did the others do with the Portkey?" Harry asked as he held a purple vial up to the light and peered through it.

"Hermione and Ginny are still with the healers. Fred and George are giggling and set off a few fireworks to impress a pretty Auror," Ron said with a laugh. "Percy did okay, but not as well as you and me," he added with a wide grin. "Dropped off on the cushion without a problem and only a little dizziness."

"Wonder how much will change with all the Aurors around. It's not like Hogwarts is safe if they didn't kill the Basilisk," Harry said with a shrug. "I hope they took Dumbledore at his word before they sacked him."

"I don't know, mate," Ron said in a low voice. "I heard a few Aurors talking in low voices about drawing out the attacker."

"They wouldn't use the students as bait, magical children are treated with too much importance for that. I got the impression they think the culprit has been caught with Hagrid's arrest and are just waiting it out. I can't wait to hear the explanation they used to explain why I was arrested."

"Anyway, what are you and Hermione going to work on now?" Ron asked as he changed into his robes.

By evening, all of the Gryffindors felt better. They talked loudly over each other as they caught up on their friend's lives during the unexpected break. The mood turned somber when a loud conversation about Dumbledore being removed as Headmaster caught the attention of a few students.

"Why don't we ask Harry, he was the one arrested," a female voice said over the conversation.

Harry, playing wizard chess with Ron in the corner, looked up to see the entire common room dead silent and looking at him. "Ask me what?" he said as a cold tingling spread through his body.

"How did Rivers die? We all saw the Aurors take you away by wand-point," someone asked.

"Yeah, how did it happen and why did Professor Dumbledore get sacked?" another called.

"Why didn't you stay in Azkaban!"

"How was Azkaban?"

The torrent of questions stopped when Fred or George set off a firework in the middle of the common room. Amid the screams of surprise, Harry cast the Smokescreen Spell to escape through the portrait hole. Some of the furniture in the storeroom reverted back to their original forms. He was convinced the castle was alive and had innate magic or used counter-magics on foreign changes. After transfiguring everything back to how he had it before, he lay back on the couch and tried to ignore his frustration and anger by using his flashcards.

"You didn't come back to the dormitory last night," Ron muttered as they sat down at the Gryffindor table for breakfast. "We couldn't get out this morning because the Aurors made us wait to be escorted. Professor McGonagall is now the Headmistress one of them said."

Ron's information proved to be correct when Headmistress McGonagall stood in front of the podium with a portly little man with rumpled gray hair. The pinstriped cloak and lime green bowler hat stood out from the sea of black robes of the students.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, students. I am acting Headmistress until the Ministry and The Governors vote on the next Headmaster or Headmistress. Until then and after, we will continue learning. Hogwarts has produced powerful, successful, and intelligent students since its creation and will continue to do so well into the future. The Minister has a few words before I release you for your classes with a few more words," Professor McGonagall announced and stepped away from the podium.

The Minister of Magic stepped up to the ornate podium and beamed at all the students. "Welcome back and thank you for putting your trust in me. To those who do not know me, I am Cornelius Fudge," he gave a beaming smile as he looked over the Great Hall. "The unfortunate accident that took Oliver Rivers' life is behind us now. You have my assurances the perpetrator has been caught and nothing else will affect your education. I see many familiar faces. Your parents are employed by the Ministry and have provided much for the magical community as I'm sure many of you will too in their footsteps," Fudge said while students glanced at each other. Harry received a few glares when the Minister announced the perpetrator was caught.

"First, I would like to express an official apology to Mr. Harry Potter for his arrest and has since been cleared," quiet muttering buzzed around the hall as everyone looked at Harry, "Second, fifteen Aurors will be posted at the school until the end of the term to provide comfort and… guest professors!"

The hall exploded with small conversations at the prospect of an Auror teaching one of the classes. Harry noticed the strained smiles on many of the professor's faces at the High Table. He waited for the other shoe to fall.

"Settle down, settle down," Fudge called with a smile. He puffed up his chest as he looked around the hall. "A few Aurors will be available at certain times to provide instruction after classes and before dinner. To ensure all students make it to class on time, Aurors will escort students in groups to class and answer questions if they can," he said with a chuckle. "Don't go asking them department secrets."

Fudge beamed at them all again but got a less excited response. "It won't be troublesome and you'll be providing training to our Aurors for protecting high-value assets. Think of all the charms you could ask them to show you," he hinted with a boyish grin. "Now, enjoy your year and those sitting O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s get priority for counseling sessions if needed. I will hand it back over to Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall." Fudge waved at the students before stepping aside and walking to a small cluster of tight-lipped Aurors who didn't look happy at all.

Professor McGonagall took the podium again and gave Fudge a disgruntled glace. "A few more announcements before we begin breakfast and you are released to classes. There will be no after class curricular activities going forward," she announced to a deafening roar of protest. A purple spell shot from her wand and exploded high above her, silencing the hall. "Enough, this is not up for discussion."

Harry noticed a murderous look in her eye as she glanced at Fudge standing in the corner of the hall. "Quidditch too, mate," he whispered to Ron's horrified look.

"All clubs and activities must be cleared and an appropriate professor or Auror must provide escort. The only after class areas permitted are the Library, Study Room one and three, and your common rooms. If you are found outside these permitted areas, you will receive detentions most unpleasant. I expect you to continue learning despite these inconveniences, this is a school, not a playground."

Harry watched as Professor McGonagall waved her wand, causing the tables to fill with food. She gave them all one last hard look before leaving the podium and walked over to Fudge and his Aurors with a stiff back.

"You think she'll let us apply for Quidditch again?" Ron asked in a low voice as he piled food on his plate.

"Doubtful," a burly voice answered from a little way up the table. Wood looked forlorn and depressed. "I spent so much time," he muttered into his goblet. Harry wondered if the captain might burst into tears.

Breakfast went by in a flash as everyone speculated on how their school lives would be changing. Harry wished he'd stayed at the Burrow so he could hire a tutor and work on learning more magic without dealing with other students and inconveniences. He remembered Dumbledore's request and sighed. The danger and threat of the Basilisk made him look at Hermione. He admired her dedication to learning and nerves of steel knowing she might be targeted for being a Muggle-born.

"Hurry up and don't speak," a grim-faced Auror told the group of second-year Gryffindors and Slytherins as they left the Great Hall. The balding wizard had part of his ear missing and two long scars across his neck. He glanced at Harry twice during the trip to the dungeons for Potions with Snape.

Harry ignored Ron's constant complaints about Quidditch and focused on the review test Professor Snape gave them. The professor looked angrier than normal when the unnamed Auror took a seat in the back of his class. Harry realized his test was different than Ron's when he peeked at his friend's parchment. It explained why he was struggling with some of the answers. He wondered, not for the first time, if the professor was teaching him or trying to humiliate him. Once he got to question nine, he had to rewrite the answer four times before he was satisfied with his answer on the Ageing Potion and its uses.

"Your answers will serve as the grades you would have gotten if you hadn't had your extended vacation," Professor Snape announced as he collected the tests at the end of the class. A chorus of groans echoed around the classroom. Neville put his head on the desk and bounced it off the hard surface while muttering incoherently. The professor's sneer turned upward at the corners of his mouth.

"Slytherins stay until Dawlish comes to get you. Gryffindors, follow," the balding Auror ordered as he stood and dusted off his black robes. He shot a hateful look at Professor Snape before marching out of the class.

No one spoke as the Auror led them through the halls to Herbology. Harry noticed the sour-faces of the Hufflepuff third-year students passing them as they headed toward the dungeons. Kingsley led the group with his eyes searching the passage ahead of them. The two Aurors exchanged quick glances as they passed.

"This is horrible," Harry muttered for the seventh time that day. He tried to pass the time between classes by using the flashcards until his boredom got the better of him. The Invisibility Cloak hidden in his robes felt like a heavy, tempting burden against his chest. The students were quite at lunch, reminding him of lunch at Providence when everyone was ordered not to speak. A growing dislike of the Aurors built within him as the day passed.

"Those going to the common room, raise your hand," the same balding Auror asked as he left the Defense Against the Dark Art's classroom. Gilderoy welcomed the Auror with a bright smile and attempted to shake the wizard's hand. The grim-faced Auror ignored the enthusiastic professor and took his place at the back of the classroom, his eyes wandering over the students.

"Library," Harry announced to his friends, making Ron grimace.

"We could go to one of the Study Rooms," Hermione suggested in a quiet voice. She'd been subdued all day and hadn't tried to answer any of the open-ended questions the professors asked.

"Library," he said again in a harsher tone than he'd intended. "We've got something to study."

Neville and Ron blanched at the implied meaning. Hermione froze and nodded after a moment. "If you're headed to the Library or Study Room, stay here until Kingsley comes for you," the Auror instructed before leading Seamus, Dean, Lavender, and Fey away.

"Harry, my boy! Have you given much thought about what we spoke about before?" Gilderoy asked as the rest of the second-year Gryffindors went back into the classroom.

Harry tried not to grimace as he felt the eyes of his peers and friends turn toward him. "Thank you for the offer, professor, but I'll continue to work on my own for now."

"A shame, a shame," Lockhart said with a beaming smile. "I have much I could teach you. Not like those grumpy Aurors. Personal tutoring from yours truly," he tempted with a dazzling smile.

"I'd like to get settled in before attempting to push myself more, sir," Harry answered with a blank face. He noticed Parvati's curious look and didn't want the imbecile professor to let anything slip about his advanced coursework.

The four friends sat around a polished table at the back of the main area of the Library. A large pile of books blocked the view of the two stationed Aurors and Madam Pince. "Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic sizes, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it," Harry read in a quiet voice.

"Hagrid mentioned all his roosters were killed shortly before Christmas when we were in the Great Hall. He was afraid something from the forest got them and hoped Fang would be all right," Harry said as he felt a sliver of cold air seep into his body.

"It's obvious the Aurors know what they are facing," Ron muttered with a sigh. "They keep watching after us even when we don't want it and canceling our Quidditch games. Not to mention our fun!"

"I don't think they do," Hermione whispered and glanced at the nondescript brown-haired Auror lazing in his chair by the door.

"Some do, most don't," Harry speculated with pursed lips. "I think Dumbledore tried to warn those he could or knew would listen. Did you see how many of the Aurors looked to Kingsley first and those who looked to Fudge in the Great Hall this morning? There are clearly two factions within the Aurors. Chain of Command is important in any dangerous situation."

"You sound like you know from experience," Ron said with a snort. "Mate, you're twelve like the rest of us."

"I've been lectured by veterans and been shown examples of why Chain of Command is so important. Unless I'm very much mistaken, Minister Fudge seems to think of his reputation first. He made Professor McGonagall tell us the bad news, gave a halfhearted apology to me about my imprisonment, didn't tell the magical community what really happened, and more importantly opened the school back up without killing the monster. Either he doesn't believe that a Basilisk did this, or he is more worried about his position than the safety of magical children."

"I agree," Neville said into the silence. "Gran didn't want me to come back. I talked her into it, but she sat me down the night before we returned and explained what sort of wizard Fudge really is. It wasn't pretty, Harry. The thing's he's passed and said in the Wizengamot would make me think he's a blood-purist worse than Malfoy's family."

Harry hummed and pointed at the book. "This should be our first goal. How do we protect ourselves and the other students?" he questioned. "I can't imagine the Aurors or Professor McGonagall agreeing to let us carry around a rooster."

"Mirrors!" Hermione said with a fierce grin. "The Basilisk petrified all… well, almost all the other people because they didn't look the snake in its eyes. They saw the reflection! Mr. Filch saw it in the water and Luna saw it in the crystal clear glass of the window. It must no be instantaneous because both of them showed some reaction. Nick and Peeves saw the beast head-on but they can't die again."

"A temporary solution but a brilliant idea," Harry praised and looked at Ron and Neville. "Any ideas? Even if they seem stupid?"

"Hermione's Sending Charm," Neville said after a minute of thinking. "Somehow send the crowing of the rooster rather than keep it with you?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other in thought. "How do you fight something you can't see?" Ron muttered. "Kind of like you, Harry. If you don't want to be seen we can't find you. We should put a bell on you, mate."

Harry raised an eyebrow and realized his friend might be right. "I wonder if the Caterwauling Charm could be changed to a sound rather than screeching or like Neville said, a Sending Charm. Maybe some sort of locating spell so we can find the snake with our eyes closed. I get the feeling it is magically resistant since it attacks magically. Homework before a little more research?"

Ron groaned but opened his schoolbag. He complained constantly about not having Quidditch to look forward to after homework now.

The Great Hall during dinner was a little louder than lunch but it was obvious the five Aurors in the hall cowed the students into being quiet. The somber ambiance didn't bother Fred and George, who spoke loudly and shouted jokes to anyone who would listen.

Life at Hogwarts turned into a monotonous repeat save for the change in classes each day. Harry and Hermione worked on trying to create spells under the noses of the Aurors in the Library and Study Rooms. Neville remained in a bad mood when he realized he couldn't visit the greenhouses anymore. Ron cursed under his breath about returning to Hogwarts and stayed in the common room whenever he wasn't dragged off to the Library with the others.

"His public apology only extended to his words here and not in the magical community," Harry announced one morning at breakfast. His anger toward the Minister grew when he bought a subscription of the Daily Prophet. Fudge was spinning everything that happened at Hogwarts into a wonderful experience for all the students. It couldn't be farther from the truth. The students, used to having freedom after classes, were now crammed into small rooms, the Library, or their common rooms despite their attempts otherwise. Fred and George were the second group of students to receive detentions. The first group was comprised of three Hufflepuff fourth-years who wanted to play Quidditch to blow off their anxiety. They were caught minutes after leaving their common room and were paraded around the Great Hall by two hard-faced Aurors who made fun of them for getting caught. Kingsley watched on with narrowed eyes. Their punishments were to tutor the first-year students instead of working on their own coursework.

"Hagrid's trial has been pushed back another month. They shouldn't keep him in Azkaban," Harry muttered angrily. "That place is evil, worse than the concentration camps!"

"I know you're angry, but take a deep breath, Harry," Hermione said in a gentle voice. "Hagrid will be fine."

"You guys don't know how horrible it is," he answered in a small voice. "Damn this Ministry of Magic."

The atmosphere through the school was strained. Harry, used to the regime of study and hard physical education, barely noticed the changes but many of the students born and raised in the wizarding community chafed under the new regime. It took Ginny's outburst one night in the common room to make him wake up and realize how serious the situation was. He looked up from his flashcards to watch the fiery redhead yell at Percy for trying to help her with her homework. Her hands shook and she threw a book at him.

"What got into her?" Ron muttered and moved another piece on the chessboard. He and Neville took to playing a few games of wizard chess before bed every night while Harry and Hermione reviewed, studied new concepts, or worked on the spells they planned.

"She's stressed, Ron," Hermione tutted from her chair. "We're all stressed. We can't do anything other than study."

Harry, Ron, and Neville all looked at their bushy-haired friend. "You… you complained about studying too much?" Ron goggled and knocked over his knight by accident. The angry chessman bellowed at Ron. Everyone ignored it.

"I like to have fun too! I don't just read and learn all day. I enjoy a nice relaxing bath with a book or…" she said before her face turned pink. She ducked her head and muttered something.

"I forgot they would limit the bath times as well," Harry muttered and looked at his male friends. They all showered as fast as possible. He looked around the room and noticed some of the older female students looked tired and disgruntled. His eyes fell on Ginny who was sulking in the corner. Her eyes were wide and her hands shook. She snacked on one of the many pasties from the long table as she stared into nothing.

"Ron, how much has Ginny been eating?" He asked and turned to the girl's older brother.

"How would I know, mate?" Ron answered with a laugh. "Why? Still on about her not adjusting well."

"Hermione, any idea?" Harry asked in a professional tone as he sat straighter in his chair. He looked closer at Ginny and noticed the dark rings around her eyes.

"No? Why?" Hermione answered as she sat up. "She looks tired is all, we all are. Especially after Rivers…" she said and trailed off.

"This is different," Harry muttered. "Have any of you been depressed before?" he asked.

Ron snorted and gave him a wry look. "You mean like right now? When I can't play Quidditch?!"

"No, sorry Harry," Neville said with a small shrug.

"Harry, witches and wizards don't normally get depressed like Muggles do," Hermione lectured but her face showed some concern. "You think she's depressed?"

"Overeating, lack of sleep, irritability and emotional outbursts. I saw her crying yesterday but today she wants to rip someone's head off. Now she's staring off into space and binge eating. Hermione, those are all strong signs. I've seen them before."

Neville looked at him with a sharp look. "Providence?" he asked.

"It wasn't an amazing place. You think this is bad, try adding being dead tired from physical activities on top of the constant grind of studying. Yeah, right now Hogwarts sucks because we don't have free time, but at Providence, I didn't even know what the word free time was. Just keep a close eye on anyone who is acting weird," Harry ordered with a sigh. "I'll see if I can't talk to one of the professors too."

"Why are you interested in the other students all of a sudden?" Ron asked with a laugh. "Mate, normally you'd ignore the lot of them as long as they didn't bother your projects. What's changed?"

"Dumbledore asked me to watch out for them," Harry said after a minute. "Well from the beast, but… depression is nothing to ignore… ever."

Professor McGonagall brushed off his warning about the other students. She told him they were stressed and adapting to the school's new policies. His worry grew as he watched Ginny over the next few days. Her listlessness and overeating were overshadowed by her mood swings. He decided to do something about it when her irritability disappeared, only to be replaced with a quiet, scared little girl.

"Hermione, I'm not waiting for something bad to happen. Help me distract Auror Inwood. I'm going to get Madam Pomfrey," Harry pleaded after class on Friday. His gut was screaming at him to do something.

"You'll get in trouble!" she hissed at him.

"I'd rather be in trouble than find out that Ginny killed herself," Harry shot back with a glare. "If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. I'm _not_ standing by again," he hissed back.

Hermione gave him a wide-eyed look that turned resolute. She nodded to him and turned. "Auror Inwood, can I ask a question… Oh!" she said before tripping over her feet into the Auror. Her head hit the older wizard in the gut, making both of them crash to the ground.

Harry took a step back and hid behind the open door to the classroom. He threw the Cloak over himself and took off for the Hospital Wing as fast as he could. Two Caterwauling Charms went off during his trip, bringing multiple Aurors to the area to investigate. He passed Kingsley, his wand drawn, in the corridor and barely escaped without being discovered. The next corridor had a book laying on the floor in the middle of the passage. Harry, paused and shot red sparks at the book. The book wailed and screamed when the spell got close.

Knowing what to look for, he dodged the other traps. If he saw random clutter or junk in a corridor, he'd go farther away and use a secret passage to go around it. It took fifteen minutes to get to the Hospital Wing Corridor. He pulled off the cloak and ducked inside as fast as he could.

"Madam Pomfrey, I need your help, please," he called into the empty room.

"Harry?" a voice called from one of the open side doors. The healer stepped out and looked him over. "You seem all right to me."

"It's not about me. It's about Ginny. Please listen to me when I say I've seen the effects of severe depression and I don't want her to hurt herself because of it!" Harry said in a rush so Madam Pomfrey wouldn't brush off his worries.

"Symptoms?" the healer questioned as she pulled on a large yellow cloak.

Harry froze, unused to the quick response of an adult when he needed something. "Uh," he stammered.

"I believe you, Mr. Potter. I've been waiting for someone to crack. It has been proven that witches and wizards have to use an outlet of physical energy to offset their magical energies used. This isn't a myth and has been proven over and over again throughout history but the Ministry won't listen. They mean well but it will harm the students in the long run. What are her symptoms?" she asked again in a harder voice.

"Lethargy, irritation and combative behavior, insomnia or lack of sleep from the bags under her eyes, overeating and absent-minded eating, and now she's gone quiet," Harry reported as he opened the door for Madam Pomfrey.

They set off a Caterwauling Charm three minutes into their walk to the Gryffindor Common Room. Ten Aurors appeared less than a minute later, aiming wands at them. "What are you two doing!" one of them demanded.

"I am performing my duties as a healer, move!" Madam Pomfrey demanded and kept walking toward the Aurors.

"Please explain," Kingsley said as he appeared behind them.

"A student brought something to my attention that must be handled delicately. I am a healer and demand my right to see my patient even if she doesn't realize she is one yet."

"Harry you will be coming with us," Dawlish called as he shifted his feet into a dueling stance.

"He will not as is needed," Madam Pomfrey demanded. "Move all of you. Go guard the toilets or something. You have brought nothing but problems."

"You cannot command us," a sour-faced wizard called. "Only Minister Fudge can."

Harry saw Kingsley's eyebrows twitch as he fingered his wand under his cloak. "I'll come with you after, but this is too serious to ignore," he said to try and placate the aggravated Aurors.

"I will come with you," Kingsley stated and waved his wand. "Return to your posts and keep an eye out," he ordered. "After you… healer," he said in a low voice.

Madam Pomfrey led them the rest of the way to the tower. Dawlish joined them without Kingsley's consent. "Let me draw her out," Harry said after a moment. "She might feel attacked if we all go in together."

"Sound reasoning," Madam Pomfrey praised with a grin. "_We_ will wait here," she hissed and turned on the two Aurors.

Harry ignored the heated argument behind him as he entered the common room. His eyes fell on Ginny who was muttering to herself in an alcove. Ron and Neville started to call him but Hermione shushed them up. He walked over to Ginny and crouched down. "Ginny, can you come with me? I have a question," he said in a low voice.

Ginny looked up, her eyes red and puffy. "I… I…" she stammered.

"You wanted to tell me something before and I want to see how far you've gotten with your studies," he coaxed with a smile.

Tears leaked out of her eyes as she nodded. Harry stood and put a hand on Ginny's back. He noticed Percy glaring at him and started to rise. He shook his head and mouthed "Pomfrey" to him. Percy was one of the first people he tried to recruit to spend time with his sister more. The results weren't what either of them wanted.

Ginny gasped as soon as she left the portrait hole and froze. "I… didn't do it! I didn't do it!" she cried as tears fell from her eyes.

"We know, dear," Madam Pomfrey soothed and gave the inconsolable girl a hug. She waved her wand over Ginny and froze. "Kingsley, I believe you will come with me, _now_," she ordered and gently led Ginny off down the corridor. Dawlish looked at Harry before leaving.

"What was that about?" Ron asked as Harry sat down.

"I got Ginny help," Harry said with a glare. "She's your sister and you can't even tell she's in trouble."

"Mate, she always bounces back," Ron said with a sigh. "She's like mum in that way."

"Would she bounce back if she killed herself?" Harry spat and stood. "I'm going to bed."

Ron and Neville looked shocked at his question while Hermione stared at him with a sad look on her face. An hour later, Kingsley knocked on the dormitory door before opening it. Harry lay on the bed using the flashcards as review and while writing out more questions to add.

"Heir Potter," he started but Harry cut him off.

"Please call me Potter, Harry, or if you have to Mr. Potter. I'm not an heir to anything," he said with a sigh.

Kingsley paused and nodded. "Mr. Potter, please come with me. Your friend Ginevra would like to see you." He held open the door and expected Harry to follow him.

Harry noticed how somber and reserved the bald Auror was as they walked through the corridors. When they got to the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey was waiting at the door. "Harry, dear, before you go in. Please know, poor Ginny is in a rough state. Something has happened and we don't know what it is yet. She isn't quite herself and is blaming all the attacks on herself. She'll be moved to St. Mungo's tomorrow to receive memory treatments."

It took Harry a moment to process the information as a heavy weight dropped into his stomach. He nodded to Madam Pomfrey and looked at Kingsley. "I'll be sure to be supportive," he said in a quiet voice.

The doors opened to reveal Ginny laying in the closest bed to the door, her drawn and pale face managed a weak grin when she saw him. "How are you feeling now?" Harry asked as he took a seat next to her bed.

"Mum is going to be livid," Ginny said in a small voice. "Thank you," she muttered in a softer voice. "I… I…"

"You're the sister I never had, Ginny. I'd do anything to help you," Harry answered with a grin.

Tears burst from Ginny's eyes as she cried into her blankets. "I killed Rivers, I know it. My friend Luna almost died too! Filch and all the others," she babbled and cried. "It was Tom, I know it was. You have to believe me."

The name Tom tickled Harry's memory but he couldn't figure out why the Leaky Cauldron owner would be involved. "Tell me what you know then," he suggested. Dobby and Lucius Malfoy were strong suspects for the events of the year and remained in the back of his mind.

"I started to lose parts of my days, it was all a blur sometimes. After it happened, people were attacked. I don't remember the day Luna was attacked at all!" Ginny wailed.

The doors opened and Madam Pomfrey came rushing in. "It'll be okay, Ginny," Harry consoled and hugged the crying girl. He faked a confused look at the healer.

"The diary… it had to be…" Ginny sobbed into his chest.

"Come away, dear," Madam Pomfrey ordered in a soft voice. "She needs rest now."

"But I did it! He needs to know it was me. He didn't have to be hated by all those students and sent to Azkaban to almost die!" Ginny yelled at Madam Pomfrey.

Harry saw Kingsley's face darken from the doorway as he locked eyes with Harry. Gently, he pulled Ginny off his chest and reassured her. "I believe you but you didn't do it on purpose. I will take it from here," Harry consoled and patted Ginny's back.

"You need to…" the redheaded girl started to say but Madam Pomfrey hit her with a non-verbal red spell. She slumped backward in the bed and her arm fell to one side.

"She needs rest. Thank you for bringing her to my attention, Harry. If she is this delusional then maybe she might have done harm to herself. They will get her back to normal at St. Mungo's."

Harry nodded, not trusting himself to speak as he stood. "She's like a sister to me, even if she isn't blood. Despite what Ron says, he cares about her too," he said more to himself than to the healer as he looked down at Ginny's crumpled form.


	11. Chapter 11: Riddles in a Diary

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 11: Riddles In A Diary**

Kingsley escorted Harry back to the common room in silence. Professor McGonagall passed them in the corridor and stopped to thank Harry for potentially saving Ginny's life and let him off the hook for escaping from the Aurors' protection. She told him that the other Weasley boys now knew what happened and may question him.

"Harry, tell us everything," Fred, George, and Percy demanded as soon as he stepped into the portrait hole.

"We'll go down to the dormitory so the entire tower doesn't know," Harry suggested and looked at Hermione who was waiting by the fire.

"I'll need your help in a little bit, please," he said as the Weasley boys dragged him toward the boy's stairwell.

It took ten minutes to explain what he knew and Ginny's condition. "She's obviously so stressed," Percy said with a sigh. "She would never hurt someone… well, like that anyway," he muttered with a small grin.

"She would if you stole her diary," Fred said with a nervous laugh. "She cursed George when she thought he was getting too close."

The mention of the diary again made Harry start thinking. "Guys, let me go tell Hermione what's up and figure out if Ron wants to know."

"Sure and thank you again for saving our sister," George said with a grin.

"She's my sister too," Harry answered with a shrug.

Hermione waited for him by the common room fire. "Can you help me with one last thing?" he asked as he took a seat.

"After this, just let me know what you need," Hermione answered in a shaky voice. "Would she really have killed herself?"

"I wasn't kidding when I said that I'd seen it before," Harry answered with a sigh. "Can you go through her things and look for anything that might stand out? I know she wrote in a black book, maybe that was her diary."

"I'm not letting you read her diary!" Hermione said in a strong, harsh tone. "There is no way you'd even have that right."

"Then glance through it yourself. She warned me herself about her diary possibly causing her problems. It could be cursed or… I don't know. Please, I'd like to get to the bottom of this. Remember it isn't just about Ginny. A boy died and a monster is still on the loose," he hissed when two students looked toward them.

"Fine, but I'm going to look at it first. You said a black book?" she questioned with a huff.

"I've seen her writing in it a lot. I think it may be her diary. Thank you, it could be important," Harry said with a sigh.

Hermione muttered something and disappeared up the girl's dormitory stairs. Harry wanted to follow but had seen an older male student slide back down when he chased after his angry girlfriend. Ten minutes later, Hermione reappeared with a black book in her hands and two familiar boxes. She sat down again and passed Harry the book. "It's blank so whatever she wrote was torn out or she wasn't writing anything at all. I've used every spell I know to try and uncover any invisible ink. She may have written with the quill but not used any ink."

Harry nodded and gestured to the two boxes in her hand. "Are those what I think they are?" he questioned as he took the book, opening it and flipping through the pages. All of them were blank.

"Our flashcards from last year, all of them unless I'm mistaken," Hermione said with a sigh. "I wonder how she got them."

"All mine are in my trunk so it must be Ron's or yours," Harry said with a shrug. "I'll hold onto this to see if I can uncover anything. You have my word that if I see anything she wrote that I'll close the book and let you read it before anything else. She trusts you so it shouldn't be too bad."

Contrary to his words, it took Harry until Sunday to start messing with the diary. The news Ginny Weasley had been removed from the school circulated through the Gryffindor students. Many were angry at the Aurors for causing the poor girl to have a breakdown because she couldn't go out and play. It was a weak, ill-informed assumption as none of the Weasley boys would tell them what happened. However, the Gryffindors hurled insults at the Aurors all through the next day.

Harry dipped his quill in his inkpot and wrote on one of the last pages in the black book. "My name is Robert Asprin and I am an aspiring writer," he wrote and waited. Nothing happened so he continued. "My greatest dream is to be the most influential writer and maybe take over the Daily Prophet," he continued the fake persona. If the book was cursed, he didn't want to give it any information on himself for someone to use later. The idea Ginny was blackmailed through the diary hovered in the back of his mind.

The words faded and disappeared into the page. Harry froze and watched words appear in the dark ink he'd used a moment ago. "_Hello, Robert Asprin. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?_"

Warning bells went off in Harry's mind as he stared at the words on the page disappear a moment later. He debated if using the diary would be detrimental to his health and realized he'd waited too long. "_Do not fear me, I am but a small memory saved in a few pages. Many would not want my story to be told, the real story of the Chamber of Secrets. A good story but a dangerous __one__,_" the diary temped.

Harry thought back to Ginny's gradual descent to where she was now and decided it was safe to at least converse with the diary, for now. "Stories are good! Who would want to suppress the story of the Chamber of Secrets?" he wrote back.

"_Things were covered up, the death of a poor Muggle-born girl in a bathroom for one._"

Harry was intrigued but wary. "Someone died that time too?" he wrote back, making sure to scrawl out his handwriting so it looked like he wrote faster and more excitedly.

"_Indeed, she died and the Ministry paid off a lot of people to keep quiet about it. __We, those who were in school at the time, learned much about the Chamber before and after the tragic events,_" the ghostwriter wrote back.

"You know about the Chamber of Secrets? Is it really Salazar Slytherin's beast attacking the school?" Harry wrote back and tried to pay attention to anything odd happening to his body.

"_The professors told us about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my fifth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked sever__al__ students, finally killing one. I caught the person who'd opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the Headmaster, Professor Dippet, ashamed that such __a __thing happened at Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I __k__new it could happen again, as it has now. The monster lived on, and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned._"

Harry saw startling correlations between the story the memory told and the current events. He wondered if the Ministry or Hogwarts dealt with the Chamber of Secrets many times over the centuries and buried the stories. "That sounds familiar to what has happened this time. They arrested someone for the crime but I don't believe he was the murderer," he wrote and sat back.

"_If I may ask, who did they arrest? Last time it was Rubeus Hagrid, a fellow student, and half-giant._"

"It's who they arrested this time, but he has no reason to attack anyone," Harry wrote back faster this time.

"_I caught him myself. The memory is preserved here for those who wish to know the truth. You don't have to take my word for it, I can show you like what is __displayed__ in a __P__ensi__e__ve. The magic is similar,_" Tom wrote back.

Harry froze and wondered if this was the trap the book used to lure Ginny in. He couldn't figure out how a book would depress a normally happy and vibrant young girl. It was obvious something lived in the book's pages but it was like talking to a portrait. Tom answered his unwritten question.

"_It will be safe as I am nothing more than a memory, a fragment, of myself captured shortly after the attacks to prove to the world one day of my achievements. Rubeus was a friend and he didn't do it on purpose. The attacks and death was an accident, but he caused it. I created this diary to show the world, nothing more._"

Harry debated for a moment before writing. "Are you like one of the portraits?" he wrote and tried to think of how much he knew about the magic behind the portraits in Hogwarts.

"_The magic I used is more complex than the magic used to capture a still moment in time. Magical Portraits like you find at Hogwarts and all over the magical community is but a tiny fraction of the real witch or wizard. It takes a piece of their magic and combines it with __the painter's magic and a Wardstone. You will learn about Wardstones in Ancient Runes if you haven't already._"

"I haven't even though I'm in my fourth-year," Harry wrote back and thought things over. "How could I see your memory then?"

It took longer for Riddle to reply. "_The painting in all portraits is the foundation the witch or wizard's magic latches on to. My diary is a portrait of my life to this point, forming the foundation necessary to hold this memory. __As a memory, I __have a little more freedom __and knowledge as I know myself more than any painter could. It allows me to paint pictures of my own, similar to the __P__ensi__e__ves._"

Harry didn't know enough about the way portraits were made to know if Tom told the truth. He wasn't sure the diary could lie, but something changed Ginny and it wasn't for the better. While he thought about what to do, Tom wrote more.

"_Are you __ready__ to sit your O.W.L.s __next year__? I have no sense of time outside my diary. I was rather accomplished in my day and can assist you if you'd like. A good magical career will make it easier to gain admittance into the Daily Prophet or the Ministry of Magic. Both require a powerful wizard and excellent recommendations._"

Harry noticed that Tom was trying to tempt him into writing more. He didn't want to write anything out of character and felt a little giddy imagining himself as a British spy in the Cold War. "I'm not very powerful," he wrote slowly. "I get bullied because of it."

"_Which House were you sorted into? Maybe you are more powerful than you think. Sometimes it takes confidence and a good teacher._"

"Professor Snape says I'm terrible at Potions and Professor Lockhart says I'm never going to be as good as him at Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'm sorted into Hufflepuff but at least they are nice… mostly," Harry wrote, trying to come up with a believable persona on the fly.

"_The mighty and powerful Badger. I was sorted into Hufflepuff as well. We look after our own. No one has come to your defense? We would go to war if necessary in my day for even a first-year._"

"That is one of my mates. It was nice talking to someone who understands. I'll write later!" he wrote with a smirk. Closing the book, Harry lay back on the bed and looked at the book in his hands. He now knew it was the key to getting to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Hogwarts. Getting off the bed, he locked the diary in his trunk and took out a parchment. He scribbled in the corner to make sure the ink wouldn't disappear after a few seconds. Once he was sure everything hadn't been a hallucination, he wrote the facts he'd learned.

Rubeus Hagrid was expelled for opening the Chamber of Secrets while he was in school. It explained why the Ministry arrested Hagrid with Harry. It was something that had bothered him for a while. The thought of the gentle giant in Azkaban angered him. There was no way, now or back then, Hagrid would ever get a student killed. It meant Tom Riddle either told him a lie, Hagrid was framed, or Riddle was the perpetrator. An image of two blank-faced boys appeared in his mind. Could the diary somehow Imperious people to do its will? Tom told him that his memory was better than that of the paintings on the walls.

He wrote all his speculations down before laying back in bed and trying to work it all out. His primary concern was finding the culprit or if it really was the diary, getting it to someone he trusted. Professor McGonagall proved to be useful when there were problems with concrete proof. He didn't know how to contact Professor Dumbledore except through Hedwig. It was an option he considered. Alastor Moody's grizzled face appeared in his mind. He was an ally to Dumbledore and had already praised Harry on his methods of deduction.

With a plan in place, he rolled over and tried to find sleep. His dreams of late were flashes of his time at Azkaban. He realized not everything was the repeating nightmares and a female Auror stayed with him much of the time, ignoring food sometimes in lieu of protecting Harry from the floating evil outside the cell. The Dementors' called to Harry in his dreams, sucking the happiness out of his body and making a horrible chill set into his bones.

Professor Lockhart did the unthinkable on Monday, the day after Valentine's Day. He hired singing dwarfs, dressed in golden wings and carried harps. They belted out out-of-tune songs in gruff, singsong voices. The experience was reminiscent of the opening ceremony where all the students sang the school song the previous year. Harry wanted to curse Lockhart for subjecting them to the horrible experience.

Angry with everything going on at Hogwarts, Harry decided to relieve his stress with a little pranking. Fred and George seemed of the same mind and sent cringe-worthy poems to all their favorite people. Draco Malfoy received his Valentine song in the middle of Potions. Harry suppressed a grin when the dwarf kicked open the door.

"To Mr. Malfoy," the dwarf said aloud in the shocked silence. His gravelly voice pitched higher he sang:

"_With skin so pale it makes me fly, _

_ Falling from high like a blonde ponce's sigh,_

_ He can spend Galleons to buy my place,_

_ The hero who can never win a race._"

The whole room burst into laughter as Malfoy's face turned bright red. Harry wished he had thought of sending more than one singing dwarf. The only good thing that came from the singing dwarfs was that the students seemed a little happier for a short time. His letter to Moody left with Hedwig the next morning, having forgotten to ask ahead of time to use the owlry.

A week and a half later, he was getting worried when he didn't receive a reply. Hedwig returned and confirmed in her own way that she delivered the letter. Harry went back to the common room with the others to figure out his next plan. His next plan was to send a letter to Dumbledore. The next day, a student ruined any chance his letter might go unread by the Aurors.

"Starting tomorrow, all post will be searched as a Love Potion was confiscated from a student. These are dangerous and highly illegal potions. We are being nice and warning you now, but know everyone who is found responsible for purchasing and using banned and illegal substances will be fined or arrested," Kingsley announced at breakfast. A young Ravenclaw cried in the corner of the room before being led out of the Great Hall to stunned silence.

The diary became is dangerous but interesting project. Ginny hadn't returned from St. Mungo's and the Weasley boys weren't allowed to go see her. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley wrote that she was on the mend but didn't give any details. Hermione told him that the Aurors went through her belongings three weeks after being taken to the hospital. It lowered his trust in the Aurors more to see them slacking off. The alert and tense Aurors disappeared after some time to be replaced with bored and argumentative wizards. It was clear all the Aurors believed they were wasting time by babysitting the students.

Ginny returned after Easter Break with a bright smile and a vibrant outlook despite her occasional bouts of sadness about Luna. Ron demanded Ginny be added to their Study Club, since playing Quidditch was a distant dream for him. It took a while for the youngest Weasley to warm up to Harry and Neville, but when they both treated her like a sister she finally did. One of her first questions to Harry was about the diary.

"It has been handled and I never saw anything you wrote. You know as well as I do that Tom wouldn't tell someone's secrets," Harry lied with a smile. Ginny's eyes went wide but nodded a moment later. The diary sat at the bottom of his trunk until he could find someone he trusted to pass it off to.

Ginny seemed mollified and continued trying to catch up on the subjects she missed. Harry was convinced she played dumb for Ron's sake because she talked to Hermione about a few second-year topics when she thought no one was paying attention.

Hermione found it amusing and wouldn't tell Harry what the two of them talked about. His and Hermione's many intense discussions roused the Aurors one day, thinking the two friends were seconds away from cursing each other.

"Break it up, break it up! There is no need for a lover's spat in the Study Room. Children," Langarm grumbled and walked away.

Harry and Hermione blushed under the scrutiny of the other students. "That wasn't a lover's spat," he grumbled and took his seat again. "I'm just saying the Cheering Charm could be enchanted or bewitched into an object. I know you said it will lose its effect but it wouldn't matter! The whole point of the spell is to make someone happier. You could make Galleons hand over fist if you could perfect it! A mint that makes you confident and happier for an exam or something like that."

"I said I know you could do it! You aren't listening. I'm saying you _shouldn't_ do it because it enables someone. It is like the Love Potion. You are altering someone's mind for personal gain," Hermione said in a patient but annoyed voice.

"Isn't that what prescription drugs do? They make you feel something your body can't or won't produce? Why would a Cheering Charm on a sweet be as bad as a Love Potion?"

"Why can't you see my point!" Hermione raged and tugged at her hair.

Ron, Ginny, and Neville watched on, bemused at their argument of the day. Harry's lack of sleep increased his irritability and not being able to spend any alone time worsened his mood. The Aurors became a constant blight on his happiness at Hogwarts. He realized something was wrong one morning as he put the diary back in the trunk. The sudden realization that he'd fallen into the same trap Ginny had struck him like a Bludger. He needed to be rid of the diary, that day and had to stop trying to out-think the memory trapped in the diary.

"Professor, do you have a moment?" Harry asked after class.

"Come to accept me as your mentor?" Lockhart beamed and puffed out his chest.

"I've come on another matter, sir. There may be something odd about this book," he said and opened his bag. He passed the black book to the Defense Instructor and immediately regretted his decision.

"Oh? Something you've enchanted to show off your skill?" Lockhart said with a bright smile.

"Uh, actually," Harry tried to say but was cut off.

"No, no my boy. I will look at your hard work and give you a grade on it. You must see how dedicated I am to my protege's projects. Run along now, I'll give you a grade tomorrow."

Harry cursed himself a muppet for giving anything important to the moronic professor. He felt it would have been better to give it to Professor Snape but it never occurred to him until the moment he handed over the book. Angry with himself, he fumed in silence during Charms. Hermione asked him what was wrong but he didn't want to tell his friend about his possible major blunder. The only comfort he had was the professor might know or understand that the book was dangerous.

He decided to tell Lockhart how dangerous the book was the next day. The professors were pushing the students hard to prepare for exams, making it hard for Harry and Hermione to work on more advanced topics because of the sheer number of essays they had to complete every week. The Aurors relented after three were attacked in the halls when a student just wanted to go outside. They allowed the students to go outside for short periods of time after class to blow off steam. The first day, four fights broke out over who would ride the school brooms, most of them caused by Gryffindors.

Gilderoy smiled at Harry when he told him his fears and how dangerous the book was. "My boy this is an ingenious book! I will figure out how you did it and provide all of my fans with similar copies. The ingenious character you made, Tom and his subordinate Robert, are intelligent and know their way around a few spells," the professor said with a beaming smile. "I didn't realize how advanced you were. Well done! Take twenty, no thirty points for Gryffindor!"

Harry sat at the lunch table with his head in his hands. He knew he'd messed up but didn't know how to fix it. If he told the Aurors what he knew, they might send him to Azkaban again but if he didn't more people could die. He agonized over the potential problems and tried to find a solution. The day flew by in a blur as he tried to come up with some way to get the book back, short of stealing it.

"Harry, you've been distracted today," Hermione asked as they sat on the lawn under the bright sun under the watchful eyes of three Aurors.

"I've been thinking over our conversation the other day. The one about the Cheering Charm. Would it be right if I bewitched a vitamin pill or something healthy? Would that make it okay to tamper with their psyche," he asked, not caring about the answer. He knew it would rile his friend up and distract her from his current mood.

"I'll consider it if you tell me what is really going on," Hermione said in a firm voice.

Harry looked up to see Ginny and Hermione staring at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm just not feeling great, all right? Hogwarts isn't the same and I've been debating leaving next term."

Hermione pursed her lips and Ginny peered at him closer. "It has changed for the worse in a short amount of time," Hermione answered with a small sigh. "To answer your question, no it might not be deemed immoral if you condition people to eat helpful things," she said with a smirk.

Harry started in surprise. "Wait, so I can do it for healthy things but can't if I use candies? Double standards much!"

Ginny grinned and went back to her flashcards as Hermione sat up with a glare. "How would you explain it then! You know and acknowledge the Cheering Charm may be addictive but you'd happily put it on an unhealthy substance. What would the Wizengamot say if they pulled you in for unsafe practices! How would you defend yourself."

The argument helped Harry blow off steam as he debated with his friend. They argued the hows, whys, and means consumable objects could be bewitched and remain so for long periods of time. Harry spotted one twin getting closer and listening in during the argument and fought to keep from smiling. He knew the twin's plans for a joke shop would have bewitched food as they were trying to make a Shrinking Custard.

Harry watched Lockhart in every class and even harder when the professor started to use magic in the classroom. Lockhart avoided using any magic if possible during his classes, it was something he noticed from the start. However, every class now went over a different spell, as if Lockhart himself was relearning it over again. A cold shiver ran down Harry's neck and his anxiety skyrocketed as he realized Riddle must be tutoring the professor.

He tried to warn Lockhart again to no avail. The buffoon professor became confident and boisterous in his classes and wouldn't listen to Harry. He stopped using Harry as his prop and started to teach the class real spells. Hermione couldn't understand why he was horrified and he debated with himself about telling her everything.

The number of Aurors dropped from fifteen to seven on Monday of the next week. Harry's worry ate at him night and day. "We are passing out red tokens for each student. Since everyone has been accommodating and understanding, we have decided to let you return to your normal school experience. Now the perpetrator has been charged and convicted, any threat to the school has passed. Five Aurors will stay for the remainder of the year to ensure everyone feels safe and secure," Kingsley announced one morning to tumultuous cheers.

Harry did not cheer as he stared, horrified at his worst fears coming true. The only thing that was missing was the Basilisk's voice coming from the walls again. While he hated the Auror's presence, they gave him a sense of protection for himself and the other students. He stared at the token in his hand and made a decision he hated himself for. "Hermione, we need to talk," he said and looked up at his friends. "Ron, Neville, you need to hear this too."

"You aren't happy," Ron said in a quiet voice. "You think the danger hasn't passed."

"Oh, no… it hasn't passed at all," Harry muttered with a sigh. The truth ate at his stomach as he stared at his empty plate. "After class, the storeroom. We'll wait until tomorrow to show Ginny. She can't know, not yet."

"You're starting to scare me," Hermione said in a low voice.

"Good, you most of all, need to be scared."

Harry felt oddly calm with his decision as the day flashed by for him. He didn't eat, scared he would get sick from his queasy stomach. The storeroom felt like a welcome relief when he used the password to open the secret door in the broken wardrobe. He half expected Moody to be waiting on the transfigured couch for them. His eyes fell on the two practice dummies and felt a familiar itch he hadn't had for months.

They took seats near the fire that Harry started and looked at him with questioning eyes. "Let me finish before asking any questions. For now, I'd like to keep this quiet but I need input from each of you, badly."

"What could be so bad you need our help?" Neville asked with a frown. "Harry, we come to you with problems," he joked with a strained smile.

"This time I need your help and… forgiveness."

"What happened? Forgiveness? Harry, what do you mean?" Hermione questioned as she sat forward in her chair.

"The Diary is more than either of us realized," Harry said with a sigh.

"Mate, that sounded like a capital D in the word diary. Is it something to do with Ginny? I heard mum and dad whisper about her being possibly possessed by something dark," Ron said with an angry tone.

"Diary as in capital D. Tom Riddle owned the Diary at some point and made it like a portrait except somehow he made it more. If I'm right, it came into Ginny's possession through Mr. Malfoy. I don't know if it was from the confrontation in the second-hand shop or if more-likely it was Dobby that slipped her the Diary. Either way, Ginny has been writing in the cursed object for months. I had Hermione search her things when Ginny fretted it may have been Tom doing the attacks through her. It could have been she was possessed," Harry said as his stomach folded over on itself in worry at Ron's reaction.

"You knew this? For how long?" Ron questioned in a dark voice.

"A month or so after Ginny was taken to St. Mungo's," Harry answered. "I didn't trust the Aurors and tried to reach Moody or Dumbledore. I chose Moody, not knowing if Dumbledore would even be in the country. My gamble didn't pay off as Moody never responded. The next day Penelope was caught with the Love Potion and all our mail was going to be searched. I made my second mistake by not getting some message to Dumbledore even if it wasn't coded. During this time, I used a fake name and persona to talk to Tom, to try and understand what caused Ginny's depression. I didn't know then it was possession until I put all the clues together recently."

"Professor Lockhart, you gave the book to Professor Lockhart," Hermione said with a startled gasp, jumping ahead in the story. She stared at him with wide, scared eyes.

"I should have handed it over to the Aurors, to Kingsley who seems to be the more serious and competent Auror but… we have some history that is hard to look past. I made my third mistake by asking Lockhart to look at the book to see if he thought it might be dark. He took the book, thinking it was of my own creation and promised to grade me on my work. I realized then how bad I'd messed up. I should have gone to the Aurors then but I didn't, fearing and hating what might come next." Harry paused and sighed. "My last mistake is waiting so long to do anything about it. Even if Kingsley knows about the Diary now, and believes me, the support and protection surrounding the school has been reduced to almost nothing. I am asking you now, what should we do for ourselves and the other students. Remember, Hermione is Muggle-born and the Basilisk will target her first."

"Why didn't you talk to us? We're your friends," Neville asked into the silence.

"I didn't know at first, then I got caught up in my own plan and it spiraled from there. I debated it multiple times, but… in the end, I decided I could handle it alone. It was another mistake and I'm sorry," Harry answered with a sigh.

"I thought you said you would talk to me if you found anything?" Hermione questioned with a hurt look.

"I meant if I found anything Ginny wrote but that doesn't excuse not at least telling you what was going on. I just thought I could handle the problem alone until I had proof to hand over to Moody or Dumbledore," Harry replied, sinking lower in the chair.

"Mate, you mean to tell me you took my sister's diary and knew it might be one of the reasons she was so depressed?" Ron asked in a calm voice.

"Suspected but didn't know. It was clear I needed hard proof for anyone to act on my hunches, not that I blame you. I'd think she was just acting weird too except I'd seen her symptoms before. I don't blame you for not taking my word for something I wasn't even sure of. I'm still not sure I have all the pieces to the puzzle."

"She isn't a puzzle! _She is my sister_!" Ron bellowed and jumped to his feet.

"Oi, take a seat," Neville yelled over Ron's outburst. "He explained his reasoning and Ginny was all right. He did say he didn't know it was possession until a little bit ago. Take a deep breath and think." Everyone looked at the normally quiet round-faced boy. He blushed under their stares. "I'm just saying to think of it from the other person's perspective. Ginny isn't my sister but I respect her and don't want something bad to happen to her either. She is okay now so let's work to keep it that way."

Chastised, Ron sat down and shot Neville a wry grin. "You should speak up more, Neville. Sorry, Harry, I just lost my cool."

"You have every right too," Harry answered with a nod. "I messed up and wasn't thinking about other people. I'd like to make sure we do the right thing now though."

"I think, we need to know everything you now know from start to finish," Hermione prompted into the silence. "Four heads are better than one and, Ron, I'm not sure letting Ginny know about this is a good idea yet. She is still recovering and while she would forgive Harry, I don't think she needs the added stress."

"I agree she doesn't need to know, yet… but, you owe her an apology too when the time is right," Ron growled and glared at Harry.

Harry knew his friends were angry or disappointed in him, but he knew in his heart he would make the same decision again. "Okay, so I'll go over everything from the beginning again," he said as he pulled out two folded and crumpled parchments from his robes. He waved his wand and wrote the information with the dwindling supply of chalk on the small tray at the bottom of the blackboard.

"You need to bring this to Kingsley," Neville said after a little bit. "This is hard to ignore evidence for anyone with half a brain. He'll be peeved but I think he will understand too."

"I agree with Neville, we need to bring an adult into this. Aurors are trained and have more experience and knowledge than all of us put together," Hermione said with a strained smile.

"I don't know what to think after hearing all this. This Diary is dark, darker than anything Dad has ever told me about. If a book can think, feel, and corrupt someone by just writing in it… I can't imagine how dark it is. You have scar pain written on the board twice. I'm almost afraid to ask, are you serious about what that might mean?" Ron asked in a quiet voice.

"I told you a lot over the summer and it was my warning with Quirrell, although I didn't realize it at the time. I don't know if it is a coincidence and I don't know the timeline for Voldemort's rise, but somehow, someway, he is involved," Harry said with certainty.

"That might make sense because Lucius and the Malfoy family were all staunch supporters of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named," Ron answered with a slow sigh. The room was quiet as everyone stared at the blackboard filled from corner to corner with information.

"When are you going to tell Kingsley? We can't leave this for any longer," Hermione asked and wrung her hands.

"Tomorrow or the next day, I promise," Harry answered after a minute. "I really don't want him to find this place, sorry. I might use the old classroom we used or find somewhere else and make it look lived in."

"You really don't trust them," Ron said with a frown.

"Sorry but I don't. I know they mean well but I can't ensure even Kingsley is on my side or will believe me," Harry answered with a shrug. "I think we need to work harder on those charms to prepare if the Basilisk is called out again."

Ron and Hermione paled while Neville gave a firm nod. "I can't be of much help when it comes to creating the charms but I could help in other ways… I just don't know what," Neville said in a small voice.

"Four heads are better than two," Hermione said again with a smile. "We can show you how to formulate your own spells, well, easy spells is all we can manage at the moment. Kingsley will have more experience at this than us," she tempted with a glance at Harry.

"We'll see how receptive he is," Harry answered, not voicing the fear the Auror may try to take him in for withholding vital information. He'd learned enough about dictatorships, which the Ministry of Magic resembled in many ways, to fear being silenced by them to keep a secret. Tom may have lied or twisted the truth about some things, but his information on the Chamber of Secrets turned out to be true from an old Daily Prophet article.

The next morning, a gray owl flew into the Great Hall and dropped down in front of Harry. The letter in its beak dropped into Harry's lap before the owl took off again. Another brown owl dropped off Harry's copy of the Daily Prophet a moment later. One word on the front of the letter made his heart beat faster. He tucked the letter into the Prophet and tucked it under his arm. Hermione shot him a quizzical look when he said he needed to go to the bathroom before class.

Moody finally wrote him back. The ex-Auror apologized for taking so long to answer but he'd been out of the country trying to track down a lead on the Malfoy family in France. He impressed upon the dangers of cursed books and the importance of getting it to Kingsley specifically. It made Harry feel worse. Moody was on his way back to Hogwarts, but he expressed a need to get in the school as quietly as Harry could manage. The wording in the letter struck Harry as odd, but he ignored it, happy to have the ex-Auror as an extra level of protection.

"Fred," Harry called out when he saw the twins at lunch.

One twin looked up from a long parchment and grinned at Harry. "What's up?" he asked as Harry slid onto the bench beside George.

"I've got to get someone into the castle without being seen," Harry whispered, keeping his eyes roaming the Gryffindor table for anyone who might try to listen in.

"I would guess it has something to do with whatever Ron was angry about this morning?" Fred asked with a raised eyebrow.

"We need this wizard's help in the future," Harry assured and shifted in his seat. He raised a goblet from the table and took a deep drink, keeping his eyes moving, watching.

"If you say so, meet us after classes in our usual place. We're much farther behind our goal than we wanted by this time of the year," George said after a moment. "You look shifty, stop looking around."

Harry laughed and set the goblet down. "Thanks, this is important and I realized I need to read you into what's going on. I'll bring you up to speed this afternoon."

"How important are we talking?" Fred asked, his eyes flicking between Harry and George.

"Deadly," Harry answered and got up from the bench. He sat back down with his friends and noticed two Gryffindor fourth-years eyeing him closely from up the table.

Harry gripped his wand hard as he steeled himself before knocking on the Chamber of Reception door the school used to welcome the first-year students before the Sorting Ceremony. The Aurors used the large room as a base and barracks while protecting the school. After a moment, the door opened to reveal Dawlish. "What do you need?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Kingsley," Harry answered with as much force as he could muster. The Auror's eyebrows raised before looking Harry over. His eyes fell on where Harry clutched his wand beneath his robes but didn't say anything. "Wait," he muttered before closing the door again.

Two minutes later, Kingsley opened the door, rubbing sleep from his eyes. He froze when his eyes fell on Harry. "Potter, what can I do for you?" he asked in a deep, even voice.

"Have a moment to take a walk?" Harry asked with a jerk of his head toward the Grand Staircase.

"Give me a moment and put away your wand, you have nothing to fear from me," Kingsley ordered with a snort.

"I'll be the judge of that shortly," Harry muttered, his stomach churning as he watched the bald Auror turn. Kingsley paused and looked back at him with a serious expression.

"After you, Potter," Kingsley said five minutes later. He closed the door behind him and looked at Harry as if he were an interesting specimen in a zoo.

"A short walk to where I need to talk to you in private," Harry said in a low voice, looking around the mostly deserted Entrance Hall. Without another word, he turned and marched toward the Grand Staircase, feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand on end as he imagined the Auror staring at his back.

Ten minutes and three secret passages later, Harry arrived where he wanted to talk. "In here, please," he said and tried not to feel satisfied when the Auror blinked at him when the door opened without him touching the handle. He strode into the room and waited by the three blackboards charmed to three wardrobes.

Kingsley entered the room and frowned when he looked at Harry. His eyes roamed around the room and Harry could see the Auror's hand brush against his robes, knowing the Auror was holding his wand in his right hand. "You led me here? To talk?" Kingsley asked as he stepped into the room, his back straight and eyes searching.

"I did," Harry confirmed and paused before moving his right hand a little under his robes. "I'm going to cast three spells, none of them are going to be directed at you," he announced. He waited for Kingsley's nod before revealing his wand in his left hand. A flicker of surprise flashed in Kingsley's eyes as Harry raised the wand.

"Colloportus… Muffliato… Lumos Maxima," he intoned as he cast the spells one by one. He pointed his wand at the door for the first two spells and the ceiling overhead for the last. The room was lit in bright light for an instant. Kingsley had his wand out and pointed at Harry while he shielded his eyes with the other hand. Harry waited with his wand in his non-dominant hand to see if the Auror would attack him.

"Apologies, the last spell caught me off-guard," Kingsley muttered and lowered his wand. "A bit much to have a conversation, Potter."

"Prudence and vigilance," Harry shot back with a wry smile. It felt good to get one over on the experienced Auror, even if it was a cheap trick. "The light is necessary. It's time to talk. A mutual acquaintance told me to inform you of everything I know regarding the Chamber of Secrets," he announced and watched as Kingsley's eyes narrowed.

"So talk," the Auror ordered with a frown.

"Behind me is everything I know, suspect, or think might be going on in and outside the castle. I don't trust you, but smarter minds than mine agree you are the best resource and possibly the only resource available to us now. This is done to protect the students and my friends, nothing more," Harry lied as he tried to emulate one of the instructors at Providence. The old man spoke in round-about ways that said little. He wasn't sure he did it right but Kingsley seemed to take him seriously so he chalked it up as a success.

"Why didn't you bring this to our attention earlier?" the Auror questioned as he looked toward the blackboards without moving. "You've had plenty of time… something has gone wrong, hasn't it? You've been worried and afraid of something for weeks now."

Harry tried to hide his shock, angry and afraid at how closely the experience Auror was watching him. He didn't answer, choosing silence over what he knew would be a flimsy answer. It occurred to him he still had his wand drawn. He made sure the Auror saw him slip it into his left dueling holster before covering it up with his robes.

"Have it your way," Kingsley said with a grunt and walked toward the blackboards. He kept his body angled so he could see Harry while reading the information.

Once Kingsley froze, his eyes roaming over the blackboard, Harry carefully moved his wand from the left holster and into his right hand. He didn't trust the Auror and wanted to be ready, to put up any fight he could, against the older, more experienced wizard.

Kingsley dropped all pretense of civility and turned on Harry but kept his wand low. "What is the meaning of this? How accurate is this information? Details, now! This is not what we were briefed on and I'm not going to lose people if a Basilisk is in the castle. Why is there a Basilisk in the castle?" he questioned, his eyes narrowing as he fired off each question.

"It may start with a Ministry and Hogwarts cover-up many years ago," Harry started and began to explain everything he knew. Kingsley's face contorted into a grimace as Harry explained more about the Diary and his speculation on Ginny's possession.

"You knew most of this and still returned to the school?" Kingsley asked after Harry finished. At some point, the Auror put his wand away while Harry was talking.

"Enough to know the danger a Basilisk poses to everyone, yes," Harry answered with a sigh. "I won't apologize for not reading you in earlier, but I could have handled things differently if I were a little smarter."

"What do you expect me to do with this information," Kingsley said after a moment.

"Expect? I expect you to protect the students to the best of your ability. Nothing more, nothing less. I can't see any way to prove Malfoy was the one that planted the Diary on Ginny unless he confesses or Dobby is able to give evidence against his master. How do you go about killing a Basilisk? We know the crowing of a rooster will do it, but Hagrid's roosters were killed before Christmas."

"We don't have enough people to protect everyone," the Auror said in a quiet voice. "If what you say is true, and everything fits from what I know, then we need to evacuate the school."

"You think Fudge will allow it? I noticed there was a small blurb about the tragic accident that killed Rivers at Hogwarts. He said the school closed for a short mourning process and to ensure it would never happen again. If we evacuated the school, would Fudge agree or would he bury this like he did the boy's death?"

Kingsley ground his teeth but didn't answer. He looked over the blackboards again and removed the small purple cap from his head. "Lockhart then," he said after a minute. "If we can get the Diary away from Lockhart we might be able to head off any issue. You believe the Diary is the key in some way to opening the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Logically, the Chamber has been closed for years before now without issue, unless something happened and it was covered up. Dobby warns me of a plot to remove Dumbledore and the best way to do that is for the deaths of students under his care. It means something has to unlock or open the path to achieve that. I can't think of it any other way. Dumbledore and a guest searched the castle for days and couldn't come up with the answer to stopping the attacks. The Diary is the only logical conclusion. Ginny's possession is the second clue. She had the Diary and was diagnosed with a dark possession. The memory, Tom Riddle, must be the key as he said the Chamber was opened in his time. There is little for him to lie about it, especially because Hagrid was expelled, and his trophy for services rendered to the school is in the Trophy Room."

Kingsley grimaced and nodded. "I agree with your speculation with the information we have so far. Nothing else makes sense that I can think of. I understand why you didn't bring this to my attention earlier, but it might have saved lives if we had the Diary. If nothing else, nothing that dark should ever be in Hogwarts around children. If you'd brought it to one of us…" he said before trailing off.

Harry heard the accusation in the Aurors words and couldn't fault him for being angry. "I don't trust you," he answered in a flat voice.

"You understand it is our job to bring in dark witches and wizards? We handle dangerous situations for the wizarding community as a whole and protect those who cannot protect themselves. Aurors are the Muggle police and military at the same time. Handling this is in our job description and all of us want nothing more than to protect," Kingsley said in a weary voice. "What do you think you know about your imprisonment?" he asked in a deep voice as he turned to look at Harry.

"Little, no one explained why I was arrested, thrown in Azkaban when I should, by law, be sent to the holding cells in the Ministry," Harry shot back with a glare.

"You may have missed the amendment to that law that states all suspects involved in the death of a magical child is to be treated with extreme measures. We followed the letter of the law but never expected your intense reaction to the Dementors. I'll be honest and say they took an unhealthy interest in you… but, we couldn't get you out, not without signatures from three high-ranking Ministry Officials. Amelia Bones signed immediately but Fudge dragged his feet, not understanding the severity of your condition within the prison. Let me be clear, we did everything we could to ensure you did not die and championed for your release or execution. Yes, execution as it would have been a small mercy over the torment we watched. Why do you think so many healers poured over you for weeks after they took you out of there?"

"I don't remember much outside flashes and nightmares," Harry admitted through clenched teeth.

"I will be honest with you and tell you that we thought you'd killed the Rivers boy. Evidence was submitted of your dark reputation in the school minutes after your arrest within the castle. I will not tell you who submitted the evidence, but I will say it came from a less-than-reputable source. However, a dead boy was in the corridor and you'd last been seen near a petrified girl. I would and will follow the law while performing my duties as an Auror."

Harry remained silent as he digested the new information. It was sobering to realize the experienced wizard considered having him killed to put him out of his misery. He nodded to Kingsley, not trusting himself to speak. "You continued to watch me," he accused and immediately wanted to retract his statement.

"We watched everyone, but especially you. We were right to do so, considering how much you knew. Being found next to a petrified body first and one of the first ones the scene to every attack means you knew something the others didn't but wouldn't or couldn't share the information. You may not have been the attacker but you knew or could lead us to whoever it was. It is our job to sniff out dark wizards, Potter. I will not apologize for watching you. That and I still see you as an unstable child who has undergone multiple traumatic experiences in your short life. Quirrell's death did not go unnoticed by those who can read between the lines. I have a few questions regarding that, but that can wait until after this crisis has passed. The rumors about Quirrell are troubling, far more troubling than a Basilisk if true. However, it is not an immediate threat."

"I'm not in that much of a sharing mood," Harry replied in a frosty voice. Kingsley's frank opinion of him made him grind his teeth. He wasn't unstable. "There is a lot to fear about what happened last year though. Pretend it's your worst nightmare has come true and you might get close enough to the truth," he said after some thought. It would be good if people other than himself worried about Voldemort's attempted return.

"If that is true…" Kingsley said and narrowed his eyes at Harry. "A conversation for the future. Now that you've shared this, what is your next course of action?"

Harry tried not to frown at the Auror's tone. It sounded like he was being given a test question. "Roosters via Hogsmeade and experimental spells to simulate the rooster's crow. Also, maybe get a few more people on board," he answered after a minute. He tried to give a rough outline of his plan without giving anything away.

"What makes you qualified to do anything at all?" Kingsley questioned again, this time with an amused look in his eyes.

"Nothing, other than to do nothing when my friends are in danger is cowardice."

The answer seemed to amuse the Auror. He drew his wand and wave it over the blackboards, making them disappear. "No sense in letting the whole school know the truth," he muttered.

"Vanishing Spell," Harry muttered with narrowed eyes. Kingsley performed the spell with a non-verbal wave of his wand. It was sobering for him to see how far he had to go if he wanted to survive and thrive in the wizarding world.

"Indeed, maybe after all this is done I'll show you how to cast it," the Auror said with a strained smile.

Harry left first without saying anything to the Auror. He unlocked the door and removed the spells on the door so others could use the classroom again. After walking the halls for a little bit to make sure Kingsley wasn't following him, he used the secret passages to go up to the disused girl's bathroom on the seventh floor. The twins bewitched the door to look battered and neglected. They also bewitched the other doors along the corridor to look disused and molding to help camouflage their workspace.

"Hey, mate!" one twin called out from deeper in the bathroom as he closed the door behind him.

"What's on the menu?" Harry asked as he popped his head in one of the small work-spaces the twins made. They gave up all pretense of hiding their testing room and transfigured multiple little rooms in the bathroom. The toilets and many sinks were removed with magic and piled into the back corner. They shuffled around the wooden stalls and transfigured them to make short walls around four small cubicles.

"We're trying to enchant a sweet to make your nose bleed. We've got an ingredient that may work, but finding the counter reagent to stop the bleeding has been difficult," one twin said as he pointed to a list of potential ingredients to try.

"Yarrow or Nettle stop bleeding and Murtlap Essence may soothe any pain caused," Harry suggested after thinking about it for a moment. "The yarrow needs to be dried and crushed but I suppose you could shove something up your nose to help stop the bleeding. Nettle would have to be powdered and could be ingested for internal or external bleeding."

The twins looked at each other and back to Harry. "Brilliant!" they chorused and scrambled to find ink and parchment.

"Fred said we could use Yarrow, but we weren't sure how to apply it. Nettle sounds like a clear winner," George muttered and started to scribble on the parchment.

"If you had two different candies, one to cause the bleeding and the other to stop it once you were out of class…" Fred muttered before trailing off.

"Maybe one on either end with a gelatin clear center to differentiate from the two. It would need to be small enough to hide the fix and obvious enough so no first-year eats the wrong ends. Red for blood and…"

"Blue or green for the healing! Green so they know they are in the clear for skiving off class. Bloody hell this will be wicked!" Fred cheered as he peered over his twin's shoulder.

Harry watched with some amusement as the twins tried to coax more information out of him by dropping hints about their many joke shop items they wanted to make. Most of their ideas impressed and concerned him a little. A seizure candy seemed like a bad idea no matter how many classes it might help you skip. "You realize some of those might kill you if left untreated, right? Even the nosebleed one could cause dizziness and eventual death by blood loss."

"We'll make sure to add a warning label like the Muggles do. They have to put it on hair irons so people don't take them in the baths with them. Poor Muggles, trying to iron their hair while washing it at the same time," Fred said in a sad voice before cracking a smile.

"For the more serious topic, first, pick up a copy of the Ingredient Encyclopedia from Flourish and Blotts or the library. It will save you a lot of time and the index has a lot of ingredients indexed into different categories. You could talk Hermione into making a flashcard with a bunch of the ingredients, but she may not go for it. Now, I have some information and need your help."

"You mentioned something deadly at lunch. Spill it, Potter," George said with a grin.

"A Basilisk is in the school," Harry said in a hard voice.

The room was silent as the twins digested his words. "You're joking," Fred said in a weak voice as he looked Harry in the eye.

"I wish I was. Everyone who has been petrified saw the reflection of the Basilisk and the ghosts can't die again. Rivers died because he looked it in the eyes. What's worse, I think I found the key to opening the Chamber of Secrets but was an idiot and gave it to Lockhart. My plan was for him to see if it was a dark object, but he took it, thinking it was something of my own creation. Now the memory in the Diary that possessed Ginny maybe possessing or going to possess Lockhart," Harry said in a quiet voice.

"How can we help?" George asked in an unusually serious tone for the prankster.

"Alastor Moody. I need to sneak him into the school without anyone, preferably the Aurors, knowing about it," Harry answered. "He is but one step toward adding more protection for the students and ourselves."

"You're serious? You know Mad-Eye Moody?" Fred asked with a wide grin. "Dad talks about him a lot and used to threaten us with him if we didn't go to bed on time. Of course, it never worked," he finished with a grin.

The twins shared a look before George nodded. Fred and George's silent communication made Harry a little jealous, knowing only close comrades could achieve that level of understanding of each other. "We have something to show you that will help you," George said after turning back to Harry.

Fred pulled out a long bit of folded parchment from his robes and laid it out on the table. He grinned and pulled out his wand. "_I solemnly swear, I am up to no good!_" he said in a strong voice and tapped the top of the parchment.

Thin lines of ink spider-webbed out from the point where Fred's wand touched the parchment. The lines crisscrossed and joined into discernible patterns as it made its way toward the corner of the parchment and onward around the corners of the yellowing paper. Harry realized he was looking at classrooms and corridors as words scrawled themselves over the top of the parchment:

_Messers. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Pron__g__s_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Maker are proud to present:_

_The Marauder's Map_

"Is this what I think it is?" Harry gasped and traced a finger over the Charms classroom off the third floor.

"We present The Marauder's Map, the greatest invention of all time. It shows a complete floor-plan of the entire castle and…" George said before trailing off. He flicked open the map with one hand and laid it back down on the table.

"It shows everyone in the castle on the map at all times. Makes for dodging Filch dead easy… well, before he got petrified."

"This is brilliant!" Harry gasped and watched two dots in the library with the names Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom written below them.


	12. Chapter 12: Mad-Eye Moody

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 12: Mad-Eye Moody**

"Can I borrow this?" Harry asked after finding Gilderoy Lockhart's dot on the map wandering around the first-floor corridors.

"We've decided you need it more than us. With Filch out of commission, we need it less than you do and we've memorized all the important bits. Just remember to clear the map once you've finished with a tap of your wand and say 'M_ischief Managed!'_," George answered with a grin.

"Brilliant, this will let me keep a closer eye on Lockhart. I'll look for the Chamber of Secrets while I'm at it."

"Don't bother, mate. We've searched the map when the Chamber was first opened. Either it's not on the map or it doesn't exist," Fred answered with a shrug. "Keep the map. A word of warning, however. There are seven hidden exits to Hogsmeade from the castle and Filch knows four of them, so the other professors may know about it too," he explained while pointing out the locations. "A few of these we're sure no one knows about. The one on the fourth-floor behind the mirror is blocked due to a cave in and the other is under the Whomping Willow out on the grounds. The one you might want to use to get someone in is through the one-eyed crone's hump off the third floor… just there. It will take you to Honeydukes cellar. We've used it loads of times to get Butter Beer."

"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," George muttered with a reverent sigh. "We owe them so much."

"Noble wizards, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," Fred intoned in a quiet voice. He bowed his head and wiped a fake tear from his eye.

"Now, you were saying something about Basilisks. I think it's time we had a long, frank conversation about what you've been up to this year, young man!" George challenged with a twinkle in his eye as he tried to mimic his mother's voice.

Harry grimaced and fought back a laugh. "It isn't pretty but you need to know. Ginny is your sister. Here is what I know, what I suspect, and what I plan to do," he said with a sigh.

Forty minutes later, he left the girl's bathroom with a subdued Fred and George. They spoke in low, urgent whispers behind Harry as he led them toward the Great Hall and dinner. Hermione and Neville greeted them with smiles as they sat down at the long table. "How did it go?" Hermione asked in a low voice. Neville leaned in to listen with a worried expression on his face.

"Kingsley took it about as well as we thought he would. He'll do what he can from his end but we still need to keep working on the spells or finding a way to get roosters into the castle. Fred and George might be able to help me on that front," Harry answered with a strained smile.

"Ron said he'd miss dinner, as he wanted to work more on his flying. He claims he's going to forget how to fly if he doesn't use his broom often enough," Neville said with a snort as he pushed a piece of pie around on his plate.

The next morning, Harry got up early and sent Hedwig to Moody with a letter to choose a date for their meeting. He suggested the time be sometime after class and before curfew, but said any time would work. After two drafts of the letter, he was happy with the wording in the letter in case any of the Aurors happened to intercept Hedwig.

Harry focused his attention on learning the secrets of Hogwarts in his free time. Hermione became annoyed with him when he disappeared between classes. He made it up to her by working harder on the checklist she made while spending some time on trying to create or modify a charm to simulate another sound. They utilized every resource book they could think of in the library to modify the Caterwauling Charm first. He hated himself for not being able to modify the charm quicker and felt more anxious as the days passed.

Moody wrote back and said he would meet Harry on Saturday at noon outside the Three Broomsticks Inn. Elated, Harry went to work on learning the route he would lead Moody through and walking the secret passage to Honeydukes. After questioning Fred and George, he learned the inn where Moody would be was a short walk to the sweets shop. On Friday, after the last class with a surly Professor Snape, he prepared numerous traps and distractions he would use the next day. He borrowed a few of the twin's experimental fireworks from their lab and grabbed a few of the Smoke Dungbombs the twins enchanted from his chest.

"Neville hasn't been around much," Harry mused as he looked at the two empty chairs in the storeroom. He wondered what plant in the greenhouse captivated his friend's attention. Ron wouldn't join them unless someone stole his broom or Hermione forced him to do his homework. He missed his boisterous friend sometimes.

"He hasn't been to the greenhouses. Last I heard, he has stayed in the common room a lot and doesn't leave unless it's for class or to head to the library," Hermione said after a moment as she looked up at Harry.

"You know something then?" Harry questioned, leaning forward in his chair.

"You promise not to go flying off the handle?" she shot back with a frown.

"Something _is_ wrong then," Harry mused as he rubbed his chin. He stopped after a moment when he realized he couldn't feel anything from his hand or face. It brought back an image of his burned face to his mind's eye. "Someone is bullying him," he declared after a minute.

"I didn't say that," Hermione answered in an even tone.

"Little else would keep him away from his plants unless he was scared to go. Unless he's found himself someone or something to distract him. I've seen him talking to Ginny a lot," Harry muttered as his mind went over every interaction he could remember with Neville over the last week.

Hermione grimaced and played with her bushy hair. "What… uh… what do you think about having Ginny join us? She isn't having the best experience so far at Hogwarts and… well, she's ahead of her class by a lot. I've talked to her while you've been off doing your secretive project." She wrung her hands as she looked Harry over. "I'll talk to her about leaving you and Ron alone if it helps."

Harry thought over Hermione's proposal. He wasn't opposed to having Ginny join them, but she'd proven to be a nuance to Ron and himself on a few occasions. "It'll be up to Ron," he hedged with a shrug. "She was… okay, at the Burrow when we studied over the summer. I know this hasn't been the best year for her and she is as much my sister in spirit as she is Ron's by blood. If you think it'll do her good, fine." He didn't mention his initial reservations as to not upset his friend.

"Oh, thank you, Harry!" Hermione gushed and hugged him with a beaming smile. "It gets boring with just boys around," she said and stuck her tongue out at him.

Harry shrugged and went back to his list of potential combinations of Latin words to produce a specific sound. Hermione, excited at the prospect of having her new friend join them, took off for the Gryffindor Tower. Once his bushy-haired friend left, he took some of the traps out of his bag and transfigured more strips of parchment into fishing line. With a grin, he went to work making more improvised devices.

Hermione appeared with Neville and Ginny thirty minutes later and just before dinner would start in the Great Hall. He heard the door open and the low buzz of excited chatter. The Muffliato Charm hid their conversation from inside the hidden room, but the occupants could still hear talking in the small cluttered space by the door.

"It's so dusty," Ginny's muffled voice complained.

"Harry's idea to make it look unused and uninteresting. He piled all the dust from the entire room into this small area which makes it less than pleasant to walk through. His idea of a passive deterrence for curious students," Hermione explained.

Harry heard them shuffling around while they stepped on broken glass as they walked to the closed wardrobe in the corner of the boxed off area. He heard a Hermione explain how the charm worked and the password needed to enter their hidden study area. A moment later, a battered door opened from the far side of the L-shaped fake wall to reveal Hermione's beaming smile. Ginny looked around with wide eyes as she took in the comfortable sitting and learning space the four friends made for themselves.

"You guys did all this?" Ginny questioned as she ran her fingers over the fake wall. "It feels like parchment."

"It is parchment, expanded and color charmed to look like a stone wall. Moody helped with some of it," Harry explained as he dumped the rest of his traps in his bag. "Welcome, Ginny. I assume Ron approved?"

"Ron was a git but saw reason eventually," Hermione said with her nose in the air as she levitated another chair from the corner over to the fire for Ginny.

Harry enjoyed himself, despite his reluctance at first about having Ginny join them. She proved to be serious about learning and didn't try to bother Harry or Neville when they were discussing different plants. Ron showed up in the Great Hall near the end of dinner, drenched in sweat. Water off his soaked robes puddled water on the floor under the bench.

"Blimey the weather turned bad," Ron mumbled before shoveling more food into his mouth.

"How is your flying coming along?" Harry asked as he watched his friend stuff his face.

"Frits Ghoof," Ron answered with a mouth full of food. Harry cursed under his breath at himself as he felt his eyebrow twitch. Ron swallowed and grinned at him. "Pretty soon, I'll be better than you!"

"You've been working hard enough at it so I'm sure you will," Harry answered with a grin. "I'm getting Moody tomorrow so maybe I'll have some time on Sunday to go out and fly with you."

"Wicked!" Ron breathed out with a grin. "It'll be like old times."

Harry couldn't sleep that night, his brain going over his plans for the next day. When morning came, he waited out the hours by practicing his defensive skills against the red training dummy. Hermione and Ginny watched on with complex expressions when Harry failed to block a spell that drew blood. He stood and wiped off the blood with a blood-soaked rag before rubbing a Murtlap Essence based balm over the wound. Three minutes after being defeated, he was standing in front of the red dummy again, waiting for the spells to start firing at him.

"What's that?" Ginny asked as Harry stood over a cauldron a little later. Her bright brown eyes looked over the potion bubbling away in the cauldron and the ingredients arrayed out in a circle beside it.

"Blood-Replenishing Potion from one of the books in the library," Harry answered with a shrug. "The ingredients used in this one are a little cheaper than the one in the Advanced Potion Making book."

"How hard is it to make?" she asked as she bent over the open book beside the cauldron, using her finger to read down the brewing instructions.

"It isn't the worst potion I've ever tried to brew," Harry hedged with a shrug. "How are your Charms studies coming with Hermione?" he asked and glanced at a checklist charmed to the wall beside his and Hermione's much longer list.

"A lot better and I'm learning it as fast as you did! That's what Hermione said anyway," she said with a wry grin.

"You probably are," Harry answered back with a shrug. He knew he wasn't a genius and Ginny had shown a strong affinity to Charms.

"You should teach people, Harry," Ginny said into the silence. "Whenever you explain things I seem to understand it better than when Hermione tries. She's brilliant, don't get me wrong," she said and shot a look at Hermione who was talking to Ron and Neville. "She just…"

"Expects you to already know the material," Harry finished with a small smile.

"Yeah…" Ginny said in a low voice and leaned closer to look into the cauldron.

A whiff of a strong-smelling flower assaulted Harry's nose, making him sneeze. "Sorry," he muttered as he wiped his nose with his sleeve.

Harry left the storeroom two hours before the time to meet Moody in Hogsmeade. He knew how important leaving early for an operation was for any military exercise. Instructor Elliot drilled into them the importance of Murphy and his law of messing everything up when it was least expected. Hermione rolled her eyes at him as he prepared to leave. Neville, confused by his preparations, asked if he was going to go prank some Slytherins.

Harry moved with a purpose through the halls and used new secret passages he'd learned from the map to get where he wanted to go. It would be a ten-minute walk from the secret passage to the storeroom because he couldn't use popular corridors and stairs. He'd watched the map and got a general sense of which corridors were less likely to have students passing through them near lunchtime. The walk from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts through the secret passage would take an hour meaning most of the students would have left lunch in the Great Hall and gone back to enjoying their weekend. It meant there would be more people in the corridors when they got back to the castle.

Pulling out his wand, he charmed one of the fishing line traps from one wall to another about ankle high. The line would snap if someone crossed it, causing the smoke bombs Fred and George created to go off with a firecracker. The rancid smell would tell Harry if someone passed through the hall when he came back. At strategic points on the route, he expanded a parchment paper he'd already color changed to look like the stone walls. Every student knew the castle shifted and moved so he hoped it would deter all but the most curious students. He attached the fake wall to the sides of the corridor, cast the Hardening Charm on the parchment, and placed more traps behind the wall. If a student destroyed the fake wall then the smell would warn him someone came through one of his key areas.

While there were many corridors and secret passages, he found several key locations that he couldn't bypass without wasting a lot of time. He knew time was the most important resource in any operation and opted for deception and speed over taking more time. After his preparations were complete, he went to the one-eyed witch and spoke the password.

"_Dissendium,_" he whispered and watched the hump on the witch's statue open to reveal a short slide into the tunnel. He knew the slide would give them trouble getting back up later, but he hoped Moody was up to the task or could magic himself out of the secret tunnel in some way Harry hadn't figured out how to.

Harry jogged down the narrow, compacted dirt corridor toward Hogsmeade. He'd visited the little hamlet once to scope out the area under his Invisibility Cloak after class. The layout had been easy to memorize and recreate a map of. He went over the plan in his head the entire time as his feet drummed against the hard earth. After five short breaks, he made it to Hogsmeade with a little time to spare. He hoped his internal clock was correct as he climbed up the small ladder and pushed gently on the trapdoor in the cellar of Honeydukes. The sound of thumps came from the overhead wooden boards. He guessed there were three or four people in the storefront area of the shop and maybe someone in the back room where the cellar stairs led up to.

Throwing on his Invisibility Cloak, he took the dilapidated wooden stairs one step at a time, careful not to make a lot of noise. He kept his back to the wall and stepped on the sides where the steps met the support underneath. It was a trick he'd learned at Providence when he tried to escape one night out of a fire exit. He'd made too much noise because he stepped on the middle part of the rusted metal stairs, making horrendous grating noises as he went down. The second time he tried, he took his time and used the metal framing on one side so the sound would be muffled.

Getting out of Honeydukes was easy because a boy, not much younger than Harry accidentally knocked over a stack of boxes filled with chocolates. The brief distraction allowed Harry to leave the shop unnoticed. The tinkling bell of the door made everyone in the shop look up at the empty doorway and slowly opening door. He left the door open as if the wind blew the catch open. Without looking back, he moved with a purpose toward the corner of the building and stepped into the shadows cast from the small awning near the cauldron shop. Piles of chopped wood were stacked in the small alcove. He knew a student would be spotted and reported to the school if they were found so he'd nicked a spare over-sized robe from outside one of the boy's bathrooms. It had a Slytherin crest on the robe so it might throw off anyone who might see him. His plan was to be visible as little as possible.

He left the Cloak on and pulled everything out he needed to complete the hardest part of the plan. The distraction he planned would be loud and eye-catching to draw everyone's attention away from Honeydukes. He waited, watching everything with wide eyes so he wouldn't miss the smallest detail. Ten minutes passed before Moody stepped out of the Three Broomsticks beside Ceridwen's Cauldrons shop. The grizzled ex-Auror looked around with his normal eye as his magical one spun in its socket.

Harry acted with purpose as he pulled off the Cloak and stuffed it into his robes. He yanked on the bulky robes and hid his face within the large hood. The hood was the main reason he stole the robe. Most students didn't bother with hoods on their robes, opting to use a wizard's hat instead. Moody's electric blue magical eye locked on him as soon as he stepped out of the shadows. Harry stooped and arched his shoulder high, making him look smaller and humpbacked as he ambled over to the adult.

"Wait by Honeydukes door," Harry rasped as he tried to pitch his voice. He continued passed the ex-Auror and walked up the small lane a few more steps. A witch and wizard across the street noticed him but looked away a moment later.

Once he was more or less sure the coast was clear, he dropped the bundled fireworks. He held the line attached to the bundle and walked back the way he came, making sure to grumble in as deep a voice as he could when two wizards walked by, deep in their conversation. An adult bumped into him, muttered a curse. The balding wizard cursed louder and wiped off his cloak as he took one look at the dirty disguised Harry.

"They should ban filth like those Dwarfs from Hogsmeade. I've dirtied my robes by touching it," the haughty voice called.

Harry yanked hard on the fishing line and grumbled something back to the wizard. It wasn't his plan to look like a Dwarf, but rather a disheveled old, stooped wizard. The robes he nicked were smelly and had grass stains and compost stuck to parts of the robes. A loud bang echoed from where he dropped the fireworks. He made sure to stop and look back, to blend in with the crowd for as long as possible. Light danced and exploded from the empty lane as small fireworks set off the larger ones in the middle of the bundle. Flashes of green and red shot around the lane and into the air before exploding into large, bright displays of light. A miniature red dragon flew higher and higher to the gasps and praise of the watchers.

"Let's go," Harry called to Moody as he brushed past the ex-Auror. The older wizard with a purple hat that owned or managed the shop was standing in the street, talking to a very stout woman with a shiny black bun. Harry realized the older wizard was Ambrosius Flume, dressed smartly to impress potential customers.

Harry entered the empty shop and moved past the counter, headed straight for the cellar door. He didn't look back but heard Moody's wooden peg stomping on the floor behind him. His hope was that Ambrosius wouldn't notice their entrance or hear Moody's loud walk. They were in luck as no one followed Moody or shouted after them as they descended the wooden stairs. Harry opened the hatch and looked up to see the grizzled face of Moody glaring at him.

"You are too good at this for a boy of twelve," the ex-Auror accused and peered down the hatch. "This peg leg will make getting down difficult. Why haven't you used magic?"

"The Trace," Harry said with a shrug. "I don't know how far away Hogwarts I can be without getting in trouble. Hogsmeade would be a hard boundary for the Ministry to choose, why else would it be so far away from the Castle? I'd be surprised if the Ministry didn't keep at least one Auror stationed here. The last thing I need is to get in trouble for a simple fire spell or a Muffliatio Charm."

Moody harrumphed and made his way down the ladder. By the time the ex-Auror made it to the bottom, Harry heard feet on the wood planks again. He realized they may have been seen when he heard the person above moving around the shop at a faster pace. A moment later, they headed toward the back of the shop and the basement door.

Harry jumped on the ladder and closed the stone trapdoor above him before clambering down the ladder. Moody waited to one side, both eyes locked on Harry. "It's a bit of a walk so sorry about that. The real trouble will come in a little bit when we have to get back up out of the slide, but I have a possible solution that might work," Harry explained as he started off away from the ladder and trapdoor.

"What was your plan if the fireworks didn't work?" Moody questioned as they walked along the narrow path.

"I'd rather not say as I need to keep a few secrets," Harry shot back with a grin. "No offense or anything, but I don't need a dark wizard hunter figuring out all my secrets."

"You planning on going dark, then?" Moody growled from behind him.

"What exactly is dark versus light?" he questioned with a shrug. "It seems to me, you need to know both to be able to protect yourself from all types of magic. You don't stick your head in the ground if one country has nuclear weapons and hope to survive. You learn everything you can to be able to stop or mitigate the damage it could cause. I don't know for sure, but it seems logical if you make the same comparison to the wizarding world."

Moody grumbled something under his breath. "You could have hurt someone with your stunt back there. Panic, fires, or simple bad luck," he accused with a snarl.

"An acceptable risk versus the lives of the students and people living in the castle," Harry shot back with a shrug. "Would I have felt bad, yes, but not enough to ignore the more serious risk of a Basilisk loose in the castle. If it gets out, then more than one or two people will be hurt."

"Is that how you see things? Acceptable versus unacceptable risks?"

Harry stopped and turned to look at Moody. "Let me be clear. My friends are my first concern. I've never had people I could depend on like Hermione, Ron, and Neville. I'm not losing that because I messed up. I'd like to get them out of there right now but I can't think of a way to make Hermione leave Hogwarts. She knows about the danger and the possibility she could be targeted but wants a magical education above everything else, even her life. Neville has expressed his desire to just leave and learn with his Gran, despite his reluctance to do so. Ron wouldn't want to leave but he might see reason. If that means some unknown number of people are hurt to give them a higher chance of survival, then yeah, I'll take it."

"A rather dark view and a dangerous path to start on so early," Moody said after a moment. "I took in a dark wizard who went to extremes to avenge his fallen friend. Would you do the same?"

"Depends on the situation, but I won't say I wouldn't," Harry answered with a glare.

Moody glared at Harry, his magical eye spinning around as it looked over his body. "How much farther?"

"A while, it is a long walk," Harry answered and turned again. He wondered if he made the right choice by telling Moody the truth.

Twenty minutes later, Moody started questioning Harry again about his plan, how he prepared, and what steps he took to ensure it would succeed. Harry answered some of the questions and ignored others. He felt like he was getting graded on his performance. Harry grumbled and pushed them faster toward the slide below the one-eyed witch statue.

Once they reached the bottom of the slide he turned to Moody. "We climb up, glide up on an experimental idea, or if you know a charm to allow us to walk up the slide then we can use that," Harry said into the silence.

"Your operation, Potter," Moody grumbled with a squint of his eye.

"Fine, experimental option then because of your peg," Harry grumbled and pulled out a parchment. He took a deep breath and waved his wand. Muttering spells under his breath, he cut the parchment into three sections. He expanded one piece out to fit from one side of the slide to the other before turning it to stone. Moody grunted and watched on with his arms crossed. Harry expanded the second piece to be a little taller than Moody and charmed it to stick to the stone platform he'd made. He repeated the process for a small ledge over the top to protect them from hitting the ceiling.

"Right, so this is where it gets a little hairy," Harry muttered and levitated his contraption onto the slide. "We stand on this bit and I levitate us up the slide."

Moody made a sound under his breath that sounded like a snort. Harry shrugged and stepped on the stone platform and waited for the surly ex-Auror. Moody grumbled more and stood beside Harry with a grimace. "This is your idea?" he questioned with a deeper frown.

"Experimental idea, yeah," Harry said with a sigh. Now that he looked at the ramp, he wondered if everything would go according to plan. "Wingardium Leviosa!" he intoned and pointed his wand at the stone platform under his feet. The entire contraption rose into the air before bumping into the ceiling. The stone parchment above him thudded against the compacted dirt, telling Harry they'd gone as far up as they could. "Now, for the fun part," he muttered. He placed a Sticking Charm on his trainers and felt himself adhere to the platform.

"Please tell me you aren't," Moody said in a low voice.

"Carpe Retractum!" Harry cried and pointed his wand up the dark slide. He yanked his wand backward. The stone platform shot forward toward the point where Harry's spell hit. The thin stone top of the platform crunched against the ceiling as Harry felt himself pull the entire platform up the slide with him. He repeated the process four times before the entire platform slammed into the wall of the castle. Harry waved his wand and muttered 'Finite' at his feet. The Levitation Charm and Sticking Charms came undone at the same time.

Moody was able to save himself by jumping off the platform and muttering a spell to stick his feet to the slide. "Not your best work, Potter," Moody growled.

"It worked, didn't it?" Harry said with a grin, a giddy sensation settled over him. He knew it was from the adrenaline coursing through his system. "Let me go first," he said and opened the hump on the statue with the spell.

The coast was clear so he stuck an arm through the hump and helped Moody clamber out of the hole. The ex-Auror was not amused by the short drop to the stone floor and had to repair his peg when it splintered against the floor. "Now what," he questioned as his magical eye rolled around in its socket.

"Follow, but stop when I say," Harry said in a quiet voice as he gave the hand-signal to move forward. A flash of surprise crossed Moody's face as they moved away from the one-eyed witch.

"You've put up barriers in the corridors," the ex-Auror announced a moment later. "You studied how I did it in your little hideout."

"Yes, and more," Harry answered and pushed aside the tapestry hiding the first of many secret passages they would use.

Only four of his traps had sprung at some point while he was gone. The more pungent the smell, the more recent the Dungbomb had gone off. He wouldn't remove the traps until Moody was safely locked away in their storeroom without someone seeing him. Moody questioned why some of the corridors smelled after leaving the fifth secret passage.

"Traps to deter students from hanging around for too long," Harry answered as he shoved a shield and sword display aside to reveal another secret passage.

"I'll want to inspect those traps," Moody growled.

"In a bit, when you're secure," Harry answered with a shrug.

Moody barked a laugh at his answer. He followed along with a wry grin on his face. Harry noticed the grin and felt like he was missing something the older wizard knew that he didn't. A few minutes later, Harry dumped the stolen robes in the corridors for someone to find and return to the Slytherin and peered around the corner of the last major intersection before they were home free. The Grand Staircase was one corridor away, the library was two away to the opposite side, and the Gryffindor Tower's corridor intersected them making it a popular corridor for students to travel through.

"You probably already know, but this is when it gets bloody difficult. I'm going to smokescreen us and set distractions off down the corridor. I'll be back in a moment to lead you to the next secret passage," Harry ordered and moved off without waiting for a response. His annoyance with the ex-Auror was coloring his voice and he knew it.

Three Dungbombs and a strong Smokescreen Spell later, he returned to Moody and beckoned him forward without a word. His imperfect Bubble-Head Charm blocked out much of the smell created from the Dungbombs as he cast another Smokescreen Spell to cover the last bit of their journey up the corridor.

"Fred and George! I know you're behind this!" a feminine voice echoed around the corridor.

Harry tensed and pointed his wand back up the corridor, ready to jinx anyone who appeared out of the smoke. He pushed the ex-Auror with a hand and wondered if he was trying to push a granite rock. Moody either had his cloak enchanted or was built like Instructor Elliot. He guessed it was the former rather than the latter from the look of ex-Aurors sallow skin.

A figure passed through the smoke, a dark silhouette against the gray smoke but didn't notice Harry. The female continued to call the twin's name in increasingly angry tones. Harry didn't recognize the voice. After she left, he led Moody to the last secret passage.

"I'm back," Harry called as he opened the wardrobe with the password. Hermione, Neville, and Ginny looked up at him when he popped his head in. He suppressed a grin as he stepped aside to let Moody in. A wave of relief and euphoria that his plan went off without too many issues flooded through his body, making him feel a little drained and happy. "This is Alastor Moody, an ex-Auror and hopefully someone who can help us with the problem we…," he said and trailed off as his eyes fell on Ginny. He realized he hadn't told her everything yet.

"Uh, well… he's here to help," he finished with a sigh.

Ginny looked from Harry to Moody with narrowing eyes. "Nice to meet you, Harry talked a lot about your last visit," Hermione said into the awkward silence.

"He's certainly been interesting to watch work," Moody growled and stomped into the room, his magic eye spinning.

Neville looked a little green as he scooted his chair away from the grizzled older wizard. "Hi," he stammered.

"Longbottom? You have the look of your father. A strong wizard but then your mother was probably stronger. Two powerful and skilled Aurors if I've ever seen one," Moody praised as both eyes landed on the round-faced boy.

"Th… thanks," Neville managed to get out. "Mad-Eye Moody," he breathed out after a moment. "Gran talked about how powerful and skilled you were during the last war."

"It's your grandmother that was the powerful one. She's a right terror on the field," Moody grumbled with a half-smile. "I watched her eviscerate that Romanian wizard who caused the deaths of five Muggles with a vicious three spell combo. They were picking bits of him off the other dead Death Eaters for hours," he said with a wistful grin.

The casual way the ex-Auror spoke of death cemented what Harry suspected. Moody was a blooded veteran like every other Muggle veteran he'd ever met, they just used different methods of dealing death. "Thank you for making the journey. I need to clean up the mess I left getting you here," Harry said in a gruff voice. He wanted to get away from Moody for a while.

"I'll make myself at home, well done getting me here without anyone seeing either of us," Moody praised with a rare grin. "Your father would be proud but your mother would have tanned your hide."

"Probably, but they are dead," Harry shot back as he closed the door behind him. While he felt a surge of pleasure to hear about his performance, his mood toward the ex-Auror wouldn't allow him to show it.

It took some time to remove all his traps and false walls. He made a few traps go off to let off a little steam and perform a few tests. The Shield Charm blocked a stray firework but couldn't be used to contain the explosion. He set the Dungbombs on fire, incinerating the small brown ball before it could go off. Seamus and Dean asked him if he was the one that pranked the halls. He denied it and blamed it on Fred and George testing some new ideas. After getting his emotions under control, he returned to the storeroom to find all his friends talking to a sour-faced Moody.

"I think you need to bring me up to speed, Potter," Moody growled as he glared around the small room.

Neville shrunk back but Ginny squared her shoulders and glared right back at the grizzled ex-Auror. Hermione and Ron looked amused as they turned back to Harry. "We told him what we knew, but you always seem to have a little more information than what you share in the beginning," Hermione scolded with a small smirk.

"Right, Ginny you'll probably want to stay but I'm warning you now, the story I'm going to tell involves you in many ways. Ignorance can be bliss as Instructor Pearson always said," Harry announced and took the remaining seat by the fire.

"I want to know," Ginny said after staring at her hands for a minute. "I want to know everything."

"Just know, you weren't yourself and were controlled by what I believe to be a dark object. The Diary has to be cursed or possessed," he explained and looked in her brown, troubled eyes. "Try to save any questions for the end," he continued and stood up. He asked Hermione to stand up for a moment. After she did, he lifted the cushion and muttered under his breath. The wood paneling under the cushion faded away to reveal a small, dark compartment. He pulled out a number of pieces of parchment before reversing his work.

"Right, so this is what I know before I met Dobby, after, and my speculations," he said and started to read off the parchments. Moody knew most of the story but sat in silence as he stared at Harry. Ginny's eyes filmed over with tears shortly into his presentation. Hermione put an arm around her and Ron looked uncomfortable. Neville scooted his chair closer with a strained, comforting smile for Ginny. Harry kept his eyes on Ginny while he read through the first two pages.

"This is the new information," Harry announced as he looked at Moody.

"This doesn't sound like any dark object I've run into before," the ex-Auror growled as he narrowed his real eye. "Something about this tickles at the back of my memory. You said the writer's name is Tom Riddle?"

"Yes, that is what he said to me too," Ginny said in a small voice. "Harry, did you read anything I wrote?" she asked in a small voice.

"No, I don't know what you wrote because I think the book steals or somehow absorbs the ink to get stronger and or create the ink used to write back. I told you the truth when I said Tom wouldn't share your secrets. I don't want or need to know what you wrote in your diary. I know the one I kept for a short time helped some but it was dangerous to have all my personal thoughts written on paper for anyone in my dormitory to read," Harry answered with a shrug.

"Say that again?" Moody ordered in a deep voice. "That bit about the diary and ink."

"What!? That I think the book takes the ink we wrote with and steals it or reuses it to gain strength? After those three portraits were forever erased in the first attack with Filch, I did a little reading on how portraits are made. Did you know Hogwarts is the second largest gathering of collected portraits that still stands today? Anyway, the magic behind the portraits will go dormant if there is no magical contact between a witch or wizard with the portrait's magic. A fairly famous craftsman in the Roman period wrote down it could be the connection that comes from the eyes of a witch or wizard. Another wizard claimed it was ambient magic we naturally release when using magic or the strength of our natural magic we release that helped fuel the ambient magic in the portraits."

"I think I read that too," Hermione said into the silence with a scrunched up look on her face.

"My theory is the book may have been dormant or the curse remained dormant without a certain amount of strength. It's shaky at best and there are a lot of gray areas without having the Diary to test, but however you cut it, it is a dangerous and dark artifact," Harry finished and glanced at Ginny. The youngest Weasley had her head in her hands.

"An interesting observation," Moody growled and stomped over to Harry and picked up a parchment off the small table in front of Harry. "Just like you, I have a speculation or two but they are darker than you can ever guess. Leave the Diary to me. I'll get it from Lockhart and maybe put a stop to his evil ways."

"Evil ways?!" Hermione and Ginny questioned with a gasp. Ginny looked up with tears shining in her eyes but they cleared as she glared at Moody.

"The wizard is a fraud, why Dumbledore wanted him as a teacher is beyond me. There are plenty who would take the post despite the rumors of a curse on the post. It's fairly prestigious to teach at Hogwarts and opens a lot of doors otherwise closed to many witches and wizards. The Board of Governors are a force unto their own if they take a shine to you," the ex-Auror growled back and narrowed his good eye at the parchment.

"Potter, Granger, is this checklist what I think it is? You're trying to change the Caterwauling Charm to sound like a rooster?" Moody asked into the silence a minute later and rounded on the two students. "This is advance and hard magic. What do you two think you're doing! If you get the wrong combination it could cause catastrophic damage to yourselves."

Harry stood up with a glare. "So what of it? It isn't like I'm not completely whole, whats losing part of my throat or going mute compared to the chance we can stopping a Basilisk!"

Hermione gasped and looked between Harry and Moody. "He exaggerates, we haven't gotten to testing anything but the safest combinations. We aren't stupid enough to try the combinations near the bottom of that page. They are simply combinations that have a small margin of working, just like everything else on that list. It was all we could think of," she finished in a small voice.

Moody's blue eyes swiveled in its socket as he glared at Harry with his normal eye. "You won't experiment any more with this without me present to reattach anything you might lose," he ordered before going back to his reading.

"Yes, Sir," Harry drawled with a sneer. He had the updated list in his robes and would experiment on his own if necessary. His friends rolled his eyes at him and Ginny shot him a weak smile. "Anyway, to finish the update," he continued after sitting down and trying not to glare at the ex-Auror. "I had a conversation with Kingsley, the head Auror stationed here, and he knows what you do."

The hidden door swung open and thumped against the wall, making everyone glance toward the entrance. Ron stomped in and closed the door behind him with a grunt. He ran his hand through his wet hair and blinked as he surveyed the room. "Blimey, what did I miss?" he questioned as he trudged over to the fire.

"Just getting everyone up to speed," Harry answered and narrowed his eyes. "Ron, what did you do to your wand?" he asked after watching his friend try and drag another chair over to the fire.

Ron froze and hunched his shoulders before turning around. "I may have had a slight accident," he muttered and dug around in his robes. He pulled out his cracked wand, wrapped in multiple layers of Spell-O-Tape.

"Oh, dear," Hermione gasped as she leaned forward to get a better look. "It looks to have split in two places but is still whole… ish," she muttered under her breath.

"Mum is going to kill you," Ginny giggled and sat forward to look at the badly wrapped wand.

"It could be worse," Neville added with a grimace.

"What happened?" Harry asked as he took the wand from Ron's outstretched hand to inspect it.

"I sat on it," Ron answered in a low voice, a red tinge appearing on the tips of his ears. "I was in the locker room and… well… forgot it was in my pocket when I sat down on the bench. The wand singed my flying robes," he continued with a grumble and glared at his wand. "Got some Spell-O-Tape from the twins and here we are. Can it be saved?"

"Not likely, not with that amount of damage to the structure of the wand," Moody growled from near the fireplace. "Broke my wand in my third year trying to get into the Forbidden Forest. Ask your Head of House for a permission slip to Hogsmeade. Ollivanders has a shop in the little hamlet you can get a replacement wand from."

"Wicked… oh, but I don't have any money," Ron said with a groan.

"I'll buy this one off you," Harry said after a moment. "If you don't mind, Ron. I'll buy this one off you so I can see what makes a wand work."

"What are you going to do to my wand?!" Ron asked in a strangled voice.

"Nothing, I just want to mess around with it to see how Ollivander makes wands. If you don't mind that is."

Ron's face scrunched up, looking very similar to Ginny when she was thinking hard and nodded after a moment. "Fine, but no weird experiments with it! It's been a good wand," he said, his voice trailing off as he looked over his broken wand in Harry's hand.

"Brilliant," Harry said with a smile and fished out nine Galleons from his pocket. "Here, mate," he said and offered the Galleons to Ron. "A little extra so you can get a holster like mine. I know you said you liked how it looked."

Ron brightened the mood of the room, excited at the prospect of getting a wand of his own and not a hand-me-down wand. Moody kept to himself in the corner of the room and read over the stack of papers Harry had. At one point, he ordered Harry to produce any and all material related to the creation of portraits.

"This is detailed," the ex-Auror praised with a raised eyebrow. "Are you planning on taking up a career in creating portraits?"

"No, this is how all my notes are when I have time to thoroughly study a subject. Our flashcards don't have random questions from a book or two, but are created from a compilation of many viewpoints and books on the subjects," Harry shot back with narrowed eyes.

"Still, well done, I'm guessing Granger showed you this?" Moody shot back with a glare.

"Actually, it was Harry that showed me this… formula, if you will… to writing good notes. Each of those annotations at the end of the paragraph is a quick reference guide to the book and page we found the information in. In case we realize later that we misunderstood the authors meaning. It helped a lot with our Transfiguration work," Hermione scolded with a bright grin.

"Interesting," Moody growled as he ran his finger over the page. "Useful," he praised after a moment.

Fred and George caught up with Harry on Monday at breakfast. "Oi, you had fun and didn't invite us!" one twin accused as he took a seat beside Harry.

"You could have at least told us you were going to test our fireworks," the other twin complained as he blocked Harry in.

Both twins pushed their shoulders into Harry's showing their displeasure with physical force. Harry laughed and tensed his shoulders. "The operation was complete and your fireworks were key in its success. The baby dragon was amazing to watch," he said with a grin.

"We worked ages on that," the twins chorused. Harry could hear the excitement and pleasure in their voices.

"There was a rather irate witch screaming your names in the corridor though. She seemed to think you were responsible for all the Dungbombs and fireworks in the corridors."

"High-pitched? Bossy type? What do you think, George, could it have been your dearest Haley Jones?" Fred teased and nudged Harry with his shoulder.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," George answered, lifting his nose in the air and snorting.

"Little Georgie has a crush?" Harry questioned with a snort.

"Oi! I do not have a crush!" George howled and hunched his shoulders when he realized he'd yelled too loud.

"Oi! Brother! Who caught your attention?" Percy called from farther up the table.

"George and Haley sitting on a broom," a nearby Gryffindor started to sing.

"I will curse every one of you with a thousand years of itching powder!" George bellowed, drawing the attention of the Hufflepuff table.

The girl in question, a mousy blonde older witch with bright blonde hair turned red as her friends nudged her and started laughing. Harry fought back a grin as a few Hufflepuff boys stood up in defense of Haley's honor, exclaiming a Weasley could never have Haley's hand. A few Gryffindors stood to George's defense and shouted their support for the union. George groaned but couldn't keep a smile off his face while Fred kept egging the friendly confrontation on.

George and Haley became the talk of the tower that afternoon after being forced in an abandoned classroom together by students of their respective Houses. It was the first time Harry saw George speechless as Fred retold the humorous tale.

Harry refocused back on Hermione's checklist after Moody settled in. The ex-Auror knocked a hole in the back of the room and took up residence in the adjacent storeroom. Harry took note of every spell and method Moody used to conceal his temporary home. Once the ex-Auror was done, he wrote everything down and circled a few of the steps to look over in more detail in the future.

"Harry I disagree with using Salvio Hexia for a defense against a Stickfast Hex. It would be better to use Effringo Hexia, the hex-breaker spell," Hermione argued one evening as they continued to study the Defense Against the Dark Arts checklist.

"I'm talking about blocking the hex, not breaking the hold of the hex. There are so many different combinations of words to deflect, destroy, or negate hexes that there may be no perfect counter to everything. Salvio Hexia will deflect the Stickfast Hex before it hits you," he argued back.

"You're thinking about it wrong," Hermione said in a huff. "What does the hex do? What is the outcome of the hex? That is what Wilbert Slinkhard is trying to teach."

"Yes, but he talks about classifications of hexes to defend against, but not what would counter it best. Galatea Merrythought talks about blocking the essence of the spell you are protecting yourself from. The Stickfast Hex roots you to the floor. Deflection away would be better than breaking the spell apart before it got to you."

"Yes and no, I think nullifying the spell with a hex-breaker would be better. You could be in a duel or on a battlefield like the one they talked about in the first wizarding war. If you deflected it then it might hit an ally," Hermione challenged.

"Humm," Harry mused as he tried to play out all the scenarios out in his mind. "Nullifying the spell, in that case, would be better but knowing exactly what spell was being used might be difficult. The Stickfast Hex and the Toenail-Growing Hex have similar wand-movements. Blocking the toenail hex would be a hex-zapping application because of the negative energy summoned in the spell."

"I agree," Hermione answered after a moment. "Why is magic so hard?" she bemoaned.

"No kidding, the variations in the simplest spells still make my head hurt," Harry agreed with a laugh.

"Every witch and wizard are different when confronting the same problem. Try out what works best for you," Moody called from across the room. "You two have been arguing for hours about what is right and wrong about magic and it's giving me a headache."

Harry caught Hermione's eye, fighting back a grin. Ginny snorted and nudged Neville who had a dazed look in his eyes. "How do they think of all those things?" the round-faced boy complained and rubbed at his forehead. "I would have never thought about Vanishing spells like that."

"You're still on that? They are like four or five arguments ahead of that one," Ginny complained with a sly smile. "Come on, Neville. Can you show me the Finite charm again?"


	13. Chapter 13: Fear the Spiders

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 13: Fear the Spiders**

Harry kept a close eye on Lockhart on the map whenever he was alone. The flamboyant professor showed the students more practical magic applications, leaving little time for Lockhart to strut and boast in front of his students. His incessant hints to Harry about being a mentor became a constant thorn in Harry's side. The Slytherins learned of Lockhart's intentions to mentor Harry. Instigated by a sneering Malfoy, the whole House teased and jeered at Harry whenever they could.

"Don't let it get to you," Ron muttered to Harry one morning as they left Potions. "That's what Malfoy wants. He knows he can't take you in a duel so he has to use words to try and get back at you."

"I know, I know," Harry growled back. "It isn't really the Slytherins annoying me, I'm just frustrated with everything going on. I can't get the Caterwauling Charm to do what I want. We've found some interesting spells while experimenting, but nothing like what we need. It feels like a waste of time and Lockhart is growing bolder. The Diary must be going to control him soon!"

"Take a deep breath, mate. You're getting worked up over something you don't have any control over. We have the Aurors and Mad-Eye in the castle. We're safe, mate."

"You don't know that. You realize the Basilisk is one of the most dangerous creatures in the world," Harry started to argue but was cut off by Ron's laugh.

"I know better than you. Mum threatened the twins with feeding them to a Basilisk for a full year when I was three. I think that's why they've been trying to find the Chamber so hard. They want to prove mum wrong."

Harry knew the reason Fred and George were acting so secretive. He'd tasked them with finding a way of alerting everyone in the castle of an imminent attack. The twins knew the danger of the Basilisk and offered more than once to be on the receiving end of any spell Harry needed to practice for modifying the Caterwauling Charm. They'd managed to sneak in six roosters and kept them locked up in one of the unused classrooms on the seventh floor.

"Come with me to the Quidditch field," Ron asked with a hopeful grin. "I've been working hard on my flying."

"How about this weekend, after you get your wand? There is a load of homework due already," Harry said with a shrug. "I'll help you with the Potions one."

"Brilliant! Wood keeps bothering Professor McGonagall about the Quidditch games, but she hasn't gotten back to him yet. I suppose waiting a little longer to show off my skill won't hurt."

Harry snorted and led Ron toward the greenhouses. Neville and Hermione left as soon as the bell sounded, still deep in their conversation about the uses of Belladonna in cosmetics. Snape left the class early, leaving the class to read the last chapter in their books. All four friends already knew about fluxweed, so they pretended to read in case Snape returned before the bell.

"Ginny has been doing better," Ron announced into the silence as they crossed the Great Hall. "I'd never admit this to Hermione, but having her join you guys in the storage room has been good for her."

"She's my sister as much as yours. She can be annoying, but she is alright most of the time… for a witch," Harry shot back with a laugh.

Ron laughed and threw an arm around Harry's shoulder as they finished the walk to class. Neville and Hermione took a spot near the Valerian pots and checked the moisture in the soil. Professor Sprout set the class to learn about the Spiky Bushes behind a glass pane at the back of the greenhouse. The semi-sentient plant tried shooting long needles at the students but the piercing projectiles deflected off the glass Professor Sprout enchanted.

"Blimey, I'd like one of those," Neville crooned as he peered through the glass at the attacking plant.

"You have strange tastes," Harry said with a grin.

"They aren't used in many potions, Neville," Hermione questioned as she peered closer at one needle sticking out of the enchanted glass.

"Oh, I know, but it would give Gran a fright for a moment or two," the round-faced boy said with a wide grin.

"Harry is corrupting you," Hermione groaned as she shot a glower at her friend.

"I've done no such thing!"

"You have, mate," Ron said with a laugh.

"Enough chattering, everyone write down what they see! Books are all well and good, but seeing is so much more important. What do you see, smell, feel, taste? Well, don't go touching or tasting the Spiky Bushes, but you know what I mean," Professor Sprout said with a faint laugh.

Harry set to the task given with an efficient purpose. He knew the importance of learning the material from a teacher over reading something from a book. A teacher may only provide one view on the subject, but they could answer many of his questions that a book couldn't. He made sure to annotate and give detailed descriptions in all of his notes so he could discuss it with Hermione after class.

Ron drew a stick-figure portrait of himself flying on his broomstick shooting spells down at the Spikey Bushes on the corner of his parchment. The drawing distracted Harry as he contemplated a way to make the drawing come to life and fly around the wiggling plant below. Hermione scolded both of them for not paying attention a few minutes later.

After class, Harry went to the storeroom while Hermione, Neville, and Ginny went to the library to finish their homework. Harry used History of Magic to do his Herbology homework when Hermione wasn't looking. She caught him halfway through the class and glared at him while he went ahead and finished the foot-long essay on Venomous Tentacula.

"Potter," a gruff voice called from somewhere behind Harry.

"What!" Harry gasped as he dodged another cyan spell from the red practice dummy and spun toward the voice, wand raised. "Oh," he muttered as Moody's grizzled face appeared in the low light of the storeroom.

"Behind you, boy," Moody growled and shot a spell from his wand that seemed to appear in his hand.

Harry ducked as a cyan spell flew over his head, impacting on the ceiling. "Blimey, thanks," he muttered and spun back toward the red dummy. Another cyan spell erupted from the dummy's wand, aimed at Harry's head. "Protego," Harry muttered as he rose to his feet and flicked the tip of his wand. The spell bounced off the silvery shield and hit the wall behind the blue dummy.

"Any luck with the Diary?" he asked as he dodged out of the way of a yellow spell.

"None, _yet_," the ex-Auror growled and stomped over to Harry. "You flail about too much. Efficient motions and don't flick your wand. Think ahead of your opponent. If they attacked you, how are you going to block, dodge, or counter the spell before sending one of your own," he continued to lecture. "Move aside."

Harry watched as Moody took his place by blocking a red jet of light with a yellow one. The experienced veteran shot a blue spell at the dummy half-a-second later. The spell impacted on the dummy's shoulder, causing ice to form around the shoulder and upper arm. Harry watched Moody jinx the wooden dummy into a twisted wreck in four exchanges of spells.

"That… was impressive," Harry muttered as he stared into nothing, letting his memory replay every motion the ex-Auror used. "You blocked the spell with Protego and used the upward motion of the Shield Charm to start the triangular motion required in the Exploding Charm."

"Very good, remember, when casting any spell, think about the next spells you will use. Economy of movement will save your life one day," Moody praised and muttered under his breath, waving his wand over the crumpled dummy. "Don't let the others use this dummy, they aren't ready for how fast these spells will be coming at them. You're the only one foolish enough to use it so far anyway."

"Thanks, I guess," Harry muttered with a sigh.

Later that night, Harry lay awake in bed, using his flashcard to review the new material he and Hermione created. The Marauder's Map lay beside him on the bed, partially covered by his blankets. The dot labeled 'Gilderoy Lockhart' left his chambers, causing Harry to sit up and pull the map closer. "Third night in a row," he muttered as he followed the professor's progress through the castle.

Lockhart wound his way through the castle, headed toward the Hospital Wing. Harry spotted Alastor Moody's dot, waiting near the first-floor corridor. He'd told the ex-Auror about the professor's nightly stroll but refused to tell him how he knew. Lockhart passed by Moody as he headed for one of the side doors. It took a moment for Moody's dot to move off after Lockhart, making Harry wonder if they were both under an Invisibility Cloak or used Disillusionment Charms on themselves.

"I don't know how you did it, Potter, but Lockhart passed right where I was standing last night. I followed him into the forest. The wily git may have realized someone was on his trail because he disappeared for a while. I spotted him coming out of the forest a couple of hours later with a triumphant grin on his face. Last night makes three nights if your information is correct," Moody reported later that day. Both eyes were locked on Harry's as he gave his report.

"Could the Basilisk be hiding in the Forbidden Forest? Unknown and hidden for years? Is that where the Chamber of Secrets is?" Harry mused as he tried to ignore the intense stare.

"No, it was cleared by Aurors I trust to do the job right. The Basilisk is in the castle," Moody declared in a gruff voice.

"What could Lockhart want with the forest," Harry grumbled, trying to come up with something that might explain the professor's secretive outings. "Maybe he's looking for material for a new book."

"That would require something important to happen. There are magical beasts and magical communities in the forest, but nothing noteworthy," Moody growled. "You ready to show me your progress with the rooster mimicking spell?"

Harry started and glared at the ex-Auror, "Nothing to show," he answered with a sigh. "The most I have to show for all my work is a hex that changes someone's voice into a chicken. Found a combination of words, intent, and wand-movement that seemed to work."

"Changes someone's voice or causes an object to sound like a chicken?" Moody questioned, leaning forward in his chair.

"Vocal change, not causing something… I wonder," Harry said and trailed off as he drew his wand.

"Don't even think about testing a spell you've just come up with on the spot. I will curse you into a puddle, boy," Moody growled and aimed his wand at Harry's chest.

"Right, safety first," Harry muttered, feeling his ears burn.

"Work it through and let me look it over. I'll you help for a good cause and this is a good cause," the ex-Auror growled and stared at Harry.

Excited by the sudden inspiration, Harry worked hard that night on writing the potential spell combinations down to make an object omit a noise. Instead of trying to change the complex Caterwauling Charm, he would start small and focus on creating something simple.

"Harry, you're about to let your cauldron bubble over. What are you doing?" Ron hissed under his breath. Professor Snape's assignment was for the students to brew a Sleeping Draught.

"Testing something," Harry answered back as he watched the potion swirl.

"Testing the viscosity of Flobberworm Mucus," a sneering voice called from near the front. "Your potion will brew, but the strength will be diminished. By the number of bubbles in your cauldron, Potter, the dreamless sleep will last for thirty minutes to an hour at most. Five points from Gryffindor for not taking the class seriously."

Harry nodded to the professor and tried to hide his rush of excitement. He would trade five points every class for more knowledge about Potions if he could. Writing everything down, he brewed the potion to completion and turned it in for a grade. He saved the other two bottles of his potion for Fred and George to experiment with.

"Defense next," Hermione said in a low voice. "What do you think Professor Lockhart is doing in the forest at night?" she asked as she used her pocket mirror to look around the next corridor.

After seeing Hermione's all clear hand-sign, he answered in a low voice, "best guess is that he is looking for something to write about, but who knows."

"Do you think he's already possessed?" Neville asked in a low voice from behind them.

"With him, there is no way to tell," Ron snorted and used his mirror to check the next corridor.

"Ron!" Hermione chastised. "He's done so many things!"

"You can't be still on that, Hermione. Even Moody doesn't like Lockhart," Ron complained.

"Innocent until proven guilty, I say," she shot back with her nose in the air.

"Welcome, welcome!" Gilderoy Lockhart called out to his class when everyone entered. "How wonderful it is to see everyone. Harry, as usual, my door is always open to those willing to learn. Now, on Monday, we talked about trolls. Not the ones a few of you have received on your essays, but real trolls. We'll continue talking about their behaviors, how to track them, and how to take them down."

Harry suppressed a sigh as he sat back in his chair. He hated Lockhart's demonstrations of how he defeated the trolls in his book. Lockhart's voice distorted and faded away as he focused on his spell idea. A nudge brought him back to reality. He looked at Ron who was giving him a surprised look.

"Harry, he's teaching us how to cast the Ebublio Jinx," the redhead announced in a low whisper. "He never tries to teach, only show."

Harry sat up and blinked, watching the flamboyant wizard teach Lavender the spell. The fact Lockhart didn't fail to cast the spell every time he showed it off made the hairs on Harry's neck stand on end. Lavender struggled with the enunciation and wand-movement required to create a blue large bubble. It was a sobering thought to learn the simple spell could have stopped the Mountain Troll the previous year with little effort.

"Now, remember, trolls have natural magical resistance, making it harder for the spell to capture them. However, if they were to step on or near an object, you can cast the spell on the object, trapping them in the bubble. Trolls are still strong, so choose the object you enchant with care. Now, I don't expect you to know how to enchant things on the fly, but when you're older… something to keep in mind, eh?" Lockhart said with a beaming smile. "Now, Lavender, let's try this again. Repeat after me… _ee-BUB-leo_," the professor intoned and flicked his wand toward the wardrobe at the side of the room.

An azure jet of light flew from the tip of his wand, slamming into the wooden door. A blue bubble encased the entire wardrobe to the applause of some of the class. Lockhart beamed and shot Harry a ferocious grin. Harry thought he could count all the professor's teeth. He rubbed at the back of his neck, trying to get the tingling feeling to abate. The sensation of moving his skin was all he felt under his deadened fingers.

"We haven't been over this spell yet," Hermione gushed as she sat forward.

"We're working off a scripted checklist, of course, we haven't gone over all the spells," Harry shot back. He wasn't angry with her, but with himself for getting them in this position.

"That would have been useful against the troll," Ron muttered and squinted at Lockhart. "He somehow seems more pleased with himself. I didn't think that was possible."

"At least it's the first thing he's taught us all year," Neville muttered and shot a look at Harry.

Lockhart continued the monologue of his exploits and why he didn't use the spell against the trolls in his book. Harry and Neville added their own comments of derision under their breaths while the professor prattled on. Ron's ears went red as he tried not to laugh, eventually burring his face in his book and laughing. Hermione, fed up with the boy's antics, cursed Harry with a Stinging Jinx under the table.

Ron, with his new Hornbeam and Dragon heartstring wand, took a little longer than Neville to perform the new spell when it was his turn to practice. Harry and Hermione tied at one attempt to cast the spell followed by Neville's three attempts. The rest of the class struggled to cast the spell, despite Lavender and Fay's near-fanatical attempts.

"That was a fun lesson, for the first time this year," Ron admitted as they took their seats in the storeroom after class.

"Please don't remind me," Harry groaned. "A competent Lockhart is scary to watch. I just know Tom is coaching him or teaching him."

"Moody says he's working on it, we have to trust him, Harry," Hermione chided and pulled out the checklist from her bag. "I spent the last bit of class to find a few more spells to work on," she started to say but was cut off by Harry.

"We stick to the list until it's complete," he declared and pointed at the wall where another copy of the checklist was fixed to. "We have so much more to learn, let's work through the list Professor McGonagall gave us first. There has to be a program or reason she gave us that list outside the mock test she gave us. We barely failed and while I feel more confident in what she gave us now, I have a feeling that isn't the end. We're drowning in information as it is."

Hermione pursed her lips and looked over the list in her hand. "You're right, Harry. Sorry, I just got so excited about everything we could learn."

"I'm excited to learn new things, but we're almost done with what we were given. We could probably pass the O.W.L.s of our core classes if we had to sit them, maybe except History of Magic for me. But that is just the core classes and who knows if those questions are even the ones on the test."

"I'll keep this list for stuff we can go over during the summer," she declared with a small smile.

"That works for me," Harry said with a shrug. "We've got the last bit of Astronomy, Transfiguration, and Defense left to go over. We have something like a month left before the exams," he announced, reading off the last of the checklist. "I mean, we really have a little more in every area because things like the Disillusionment Charm, Confundus Charm, Wit-Sharpening Potion, and the Chinese Chomping Cabbage are all still not checked off."

"I still think we should make another checklist and write everything we know down for each of the topics and spells. We should do one huge essay for each of the classes. I know it sounds like a lot, but we could compare our essays to see what we might have forgotten," Hermione suggested with a strained smile.

"I agree with you, but… like I said before. We'd need someone else to grade it to make sure we didn't miss anything. I'm not too keen on telling anyone how much I know or don't know," Harry said in a low voice, looking toward the darkened corner were Moody's sleeping quarters were.

"We could do like I said but only have someone like Professor McGonagall look over my answers," Hermione said in a low voice. "That way we can still get an accurate gauge of how much we know."

"We'll talk about it again when we complete the checklist," Harry said after thinking for a minute. "So, back to Vanishing Spells or conjuring inanimate objects? Honestly, I can do it but something easy like Astronomy today might be better. It is one of the reasons we left it for last."

"Let's get the hard stuff out of the way. I've got a headache, but not bad enough to keep trying the harder Transfiguration."

"Works for me, Vanishing Spells it is then," Harry said and pulled the index parchment they'd created. "Five books on the subject, two checked off. We'll read through this seventeenth-century book on advanced Transfiguration theories to see if anything is different from what we've already read."

Neville and Ginny arrived in the storeroom just before dinner, having finished their homework in the library. Ron appeared, drenched to the bone, in the Great Hall moments after the food appeared on the tables. "Harry, do you mind warming me up?" the red-haired boy asked as he wrung out his robes under the table.

"Do you mind not doing that here?" Ginny scolded as she picked up her feet. "You're getting my trainers wet!"

"Sorry," Ron muttered and turned to Harry.

"You really need to learn this spell," Harry said with a laugh. One Heating Charm and a Hot-Air Charm later, Ron breathed out a thanks and dug into his food with gusto.

"Harry is it just me, or does Lockhart look paler than normal," Neville commented during dinner.

Everyone looked up to the High Table, looking for the flamboyant professor. Lockhart sat beside Professor Snape at the far end of the table, eating and talking to a frail, frizzy-haired professor with thick glasses. The Defense Professor didn't flash his trademark smile as much as he shoveled food in his mouth. Harry thought Lockhart looked a little like Ron when he was at his hungriest by the way the food on his plate disappeared.

"Not worrying at all," Harry muttered in a sarcastic tone as he turned back to his friend. "I'll let Moody know before curfew. I hope he can get Lockhart tonight so we can get the Diary away from him. While the class was good, I'd rather not have a possessed professor."

"No one should ever be possessed," Ginny said in a small voice.

Dinner passed in relative silence. Harry broke off from the group to find Moody getting ready in the storeroom. The grizzled ex-Auror seemed troubled as he tucked a small dark book into his robes. "Potter, any more information?" he questioned as he struggled to get to his feet from the low armchair.

"Lockhart is showing the same signs Ginny did. Overeating and sallow skin," Harry reported with a frown. "Maybe, I should let Kingsley know too."

"Maybe," Moody growled and stomped to the fireplace, rekindling the wood with his wand. "You expect Lockhart to leave the castle again tonight?"

"It would make four nights in a row. We know he is headed to the forest so there is little chance to lose him in the castle. Are you going to try and take him down or wait?"

"For me to know and you to find out. Keep me informed if anything changes," Moody growled, turning to look at Harry. "Focus on your studies. If anything happens, keep your head down and get you and your friends out of here first. Leave the other students to me and the Aurors."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Harry muttered, narrowing his eyes. Something the ex-Auror said bothered him but he wasn't sure what. "Happy hunting," he called over his shoulder as he left the seating room, headed for the secret door.

Harry was lost in thought as he roamed the darkened passages, heading for the Gryffindor Common Room. He stopped a few times to stare at portraits in the corridors, trying to guess how the Diary came into existence. Two ghosts passed through the walls ahead of him, deep in conversation, making him think of the attacks. Little reminders of the lingering danger of the Diary jumped out at him as he finished his slow walk. "Wattlebird," he called out to the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Don't look so glum," the Fat Lady called as the portrait swung open to reveal the hole into the common room. Sounds of laughter and bright flashes of light illuminated the dark passage around Harry.

"Show'em another, George!" Fred called as his figure appeared from under a brown blanket. "Do the Jumper this time."

"Right-o, Fred," George said and fished around in his robes.

Harry stepped into the common room, looking around at all the Gryffindors with grins on their faces. George lit the end of a small firecracker with the tip of his wand. Harry fought to keep the grin off his face when he saw the yellow wrapper. Taking out his wand, he cast a quiet Shield Charm in front of him as a precaution. Lee Jordan, standing near Harry, cursed under his breath and drew his wand, but it was too late. The firework let out a screech of sound and rocketed across the room. It bounced off the wall over the fireplace, hit the stone ceiling, and hit Kenneth Towler in the head. The boy yelped and fell backward over the side of the chair he was standing next to.

Fred and George howled with laughter as the yellow rocket bounced off people, surfaces, and overturned an ink bottle on the table. No one was hurt because Harry bewitched the tip of the firecracker to have a Softening Charm, but it would sting for a moment if you got hit by the hurtling projectile. Lee Jordan got hit twice before he could protect himself with a Shield Charm. He glared at Harry, Fred, and George before breaking out into a booming laugh.

"Jumping Whiz-bangs will be available next year to anyone who wants to have a little fun!" Fred announced as he threw off the brown blanket with a broad grin.

"Wicked!" a few Gryffindors called while others hurtled insults and expressed their mock anger at the twin's new toy for causing mayhem.

"Wait until they see the other things we have in store," George muttered to Harry when he approached. "We're getting low on the supplies, by the way."

"I'll see what I can do about that," Harry promised, mentally counting how many Galleons he had on hand. "I need to see a few things through before I can focus back on our projects."

"Not a problem, we'll be careful with what we have left," Fred assured with a smile. "I know you don't like hearing it, but thank you, from both of us. We wouldn't be where we are without your help."

"Without the Galleons you mean," Harry shot back with a wry grin.

"No mate," George cut in. "We mean the magical knowledge and ideas you've come up with on your own. The Galleons help, yes, but someone to bounce ideas off of has been more of a help than you can ever know." Fred nodded his agreement as he turned to talk to Lee.

"Thanks," Harry muttered, retreating from the twins and their friends. Angelina and Alicia had a fierce look in their eye as they approached. The firecracker bounced off Angelina's backside when she tried to jump out of the way. If her muttered curses and dark look was anything to go by, Harry wanted to be far away from the aftermath of the twin's fun.

The twin's howls for mercy followed Harry as he descended the stairs to his dormitory. Ron lay half off his bed, one trainer still on his foot, as he snored away into his blankets. Scabbers stared at Harry as he entered with a quizzical expression on his tiny rat face. Neville waved to Harry before going back to his flashcard, muttering an answer and tapping the black card in his hand. Seamus and Dean had their heads together, looking over a worn leather book on Dean's bed. They didn't notice Harry's arrival, engrossed in their conversation.

Harry stayed up long after the other boys had fallen asleep, watching the map with his curtains drawn to hide his wand-light. Books and sheets of parchment littered his bed with the map spread out in the center so Harry could keep an eye on Lockhart. The professor was pacing in his office, a small change from standing in one corner of the room for over an hour. Harry scribbled out more notes about anything he could find on Basilisks in wizarding history. A lot of the information he'd read before, but he copied the quotes and the brief first-hand accounts onto the page.

One purge of a Basilisk nest cost had a butchers bill of over thirty-nine witches and wizards. It was sobering to Harry to read the deaths were caused by three adult Basilisks. In the end, the only way they were able to kill the serpents was to bring the ceiling of the large cavern down, crushing five more wizards who remained behind to distract the serpents.

Lockhart left his office sometime while Harry was reading the ancient history book. Harry snatched up the map and spread it out on his bed, trying to find the elusive dot in the castle. He spotted Gilderoy Lockhart's dot near the kitchens. Confused, he watched on as the dot disappeared near the far corner of the antechamber to the kitchen. A hollow weight settled into his stomach as he realized the map didn't reveal everything about the castle.

Two hours later, Lockhart's name appeared on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, headed back up to the castle. Harry shook his head to clear his exhaustion and focused hard on the map. The professor looked to be running by the speed at which the dot was moving. Harry watched as another dot appeared from the edge of the folded part of his map. Alastor Moody moved with considerable speed across the Entrance Hall, headed for the grounds beyond. Kingsley and the other Aurors seemed to be up and moving around moments after Moody stepped over the threshold of the main doors.

Harry watched with fascination as a lot of things happened at once. Moody and Lockhart's dots met on the path, halfway between Hagrid's Hut and the castle. Three Aurors from the castle, Kingsley in the lead, moved toward Moody and Lockhart who were circling each other. Harry recognized the circular movement as the start of a wizards duel. Moments later, Moody and Lockhart broke off, each headed in a different direction. The ex-Auror ran for the forest while Lockhart ran off the path, toward the greenhouse side of the castle. Kingsley and his two Aurors came to a halt were Moody and Lockhart were less than a minute before.

Harry tried to work out what happened as he tracked Lockhart's path back through the castle. The professor made it back to his quarters without issue. Tired and unable to keep his eyes open any longer, Harry put the map away and covered up with his blankets. Twice he awoke in the middle of the night, having been awoken by a nightmare of a beast he couldn't see attacking people around him. The phantom screams of his friends rung in his ears as he tried to go back to sleep.

"Mate, you're going to be late for class," Ron called as he opened the curtains.

Harry lay facing up, staring at the canopy above him. He got little sleep that wasn't plagued by nightmares. Frankie's round face stared at him with wide, expectant eyes from behind the Mirror of Erised as Harry pleaded with the young boy to understand he couldn't do anything. "Defense with Lockhart first," he mumbled as he pulled off his blankets and let them fall to the floor.

"You look terrible, mate," Ron said as Harry put on his robes and trainers.

"I didn't sleep well. Bad dreams for the most part."

"You're just stressed. Tell Hermione to lay off the studding for a day. You two are mental trying to do all your core classes at once. It isn't like you don't have three more years until we sit our O.W.L.s," Ron complained as he waved his wand. His worn leather bag lifted off the ground and floated to him. He checked the contents and nodded to himself. "You ready?"

"Almost, I'll meet you down in the Great Hall in a few. Need to stop by the wash," Harry called and gestured with his hand for Ron to leave.

Gilderoy radiated with excitement as he led the class through a short exercise on the Fire-Making Charm. He regaled them with his exploits on taking down monstrous spiders, never seen before in the magical world. Burning these rare albino spiders alive in their dens and how the last one, who he saved to ensure the species wouldn't die out, declared vengeance on him forevermore. A couple of students hung on his every word while Harry tried to look like he was paying attention. His exhaustion made it difficult for him to pretend to listen to the buffoon of a professor.

"Mark my words, my fans," Gilderoy called as he dismissed the class. "Those monstrous creatures are probably why we've had all these attacks this year. They are known to petrify their prey before eating them alive!"

"What a load of rubbish," Neville muttered. "You can't use Gillyweed to breathe in smoke. It is used for underwater breathing."

"You tell him, Neville," Ron said with a booming laugh. "What was that class all about. I mean, he did give a cool tip about Incendio's range and power, but the rest of the class was boring."

"It isn't too hard to… power up… for a lack of a better word, any spell we know. Intention, visualization, and confidence all are components to casting all spells. Changing any one, or more components will change the outcome of the spell, with a cost. Most of the time, it pulls more magic from you to manipulate a spell, but sometimes there are unintended consequences," Harry lectured as they moved to Charms.

The Gryffindor students saw three Aurors patrolling the halls before they made it to the Charms corridor. Kingsley stood outside the door, talking to Professor Flitwick in a low voice. "Students! Welcome, welcome! Take a seat, we'll begin the lesson in a bit," the diminutive professor called before going back to his conversation.

"You will be sitting your final exams in three weeks," Professor Flitwick reminded the class as he took his place on the pile of books he used as a perch. "It has been a trying year, however, I am pleased by everyone's progress this year. That being said, review is important to ensure everything you learn stays with you for the rest of your life. Let us begin with the simple and progress to the last thing we've learned to date. Now, wands out… good. After me, please. Lumos!"

Harry fought against exhaustion as he followed along with the class. What the professor asked them to do was not hard for him, in fact, it was almost childishly simple for him now, but the mental strain wore down his low energy. Hermione shot him furtive glances from the next table over but didn't comment on his spell-work.

"Mate, why don't you go lay down after class," Ron muttered under his breath when Harry's Dancing Feet Spell did little more than make his chair wobble in place.

"I may have to. I just couldn't sleep," Harry muttered back and tried to focus again. His second cast made his chair leap onto his desk and perform a small jig. He groaned as everyone started laughing at the parchment scattering to the floor.

"That will do, for now, Mr. Potter. I think, maybe you should rest for now," Professor Flitwick called as he waved his wand. The chair stopped dancing and floated to the floor. All the parchments and spilled ink on Harry's desk returned to its previous state.

"Thank you, professor," Harry muttered and took a seat.

"Harry, Harry… _Harry_!" Ron's voice called to him a few minutes later. "The class is about to end and you've been asleep."

Blinking his eyes, Harry tried to look around the bright room. His classmates were packing up while Professor Flitwick beamed at them all. "Very well done, all of you! I'm pleased with all of your work so far. Keep it up. Again, the exams are in three weeks."

"Come on, mate," Neville encouraged as he helped Harry pack up his belongings.

It took a moment for Harry to get his bearings but with the help of Ron and Neville, they escorted him out of the room under Hermione's worried gaze. "Are you okay, Harry?" the bushy-haired witch asked as they took their seats in the Great Hall.

The smell of food made Harry's stomach churn from hunger and nausea. "Didn't sleep well is all," he muttered as he picked up the silver decanter filled with grape juice. He hoped it might help settle his stomach.

"Maybe you should see Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested as she nibbled at the corner of a darkened piece of toast.

"I'll be fine," Harry lied while taking a sip of the icy drink.

His friends took him at his word and started to talk about other topics, something he was thankful for. Neville tensed up as Zoe Stewart, Pansy Parkinson, and Daphne Greengrass walked in the Great Hall together. Harry noticed the way his friend's shoulders hunched over as he looked their way. Always with his back to a wall, Harry watched out of the corner of his eye as the trio of Slytherin witches made their way to the long table on the far side of the hall. Neville's shoulders loosened after glancing toward the seated trio.

Harry made a note to add Neville's name to the shortlist of people he kept an eye on whenever he could. Daphne's eyes met his from across the hall. Her slender blonde eyebrow arched as she continued to lock eyes with him. Unsure of what to do, Harry looked away. His gaze fell on the source of his nightmares and current troubles, Gilderoy Lockhart. The flamboyant professor spoke animatedly to Professor Flitwick, using his hands to emphasize something large with many legs.

"Herbology and double Transfiguration is all that's left for the day," Ron said with a grin as he got up from the table. "I can't wait to get in some Quidditch practice after class."

"Boys," Hermione huffed. She lifted her pack higher on her shoulder and looked at Harry. "You look tired. Maybe we should skip this afternoon's session. I could read a little more about the Vanishing Spell while you rest."

"I'll be fine!" Harry grumbled and followed his friends toward the greenhouses.

That afternoon, Harry wasn't fine and tried to stretch out on the fluffy chair. He was too tired to try and transfigure a footstool. Trying to find a comfortable position, he instead flopped his legs over the chair and using his cloak as a pillow. Hermione woke him before dinner, giving him a worried look. "You were muttering in your sleep," she accused as she thrust a bottle into his hands. "Drink up," she ordered.

Trusting his friend, Harry drank the small flask and coughed as the fiery liquid burned his throat for a moment. The Pepper-Up Potion lit a fire in his stomach, making him cough and sit up all the way. "Hey, it tastes a little like peppermint," he commented as he looked at the half-drunk bottle.

"I did some reading and wanted to try something," Hermione said with a feral grin. "Glad the taste wasn't too bad. I'd hoped it might taste like dung."

"Gross," Harry muttered and drained the last of the potion. He felt steam erupt from his ears. A feeling of warmth and energy coursed through his body as the ache in his back faded away. "Dinner? I'm starving."

"Boys," Hermione muttered and started for the secret door. "You could have said thank you!"

"Thank you, Hermione," Harry called after his friend as he snatched up his rucksack.

Dinner as abnormally quiet. Younger students talked in low whispers while older students read from books as they shoveled food into their mouths. Fifth and seventh-year students all had worn and haggard faces as they tried to cram knowledge into their tired brains while providing fuel for their bodies.

"You think we'll be that bad," Ron asked aloud as he watched a dark-haired Hufflepuff boy pulling his hair out, one-by-one, as he read from a huge tome in his lap.

"We'll probably be worse," Harry admitted as he looked up the table at Percy Weasley in deep conversation with Claire Turner, the other Gryffindor Prefect. "It's been hard enough already. I can't fathom adding five more courses to our schedule next year to get twelve O.W.L.s like Percy."

"Oh, I know," Hermione gasped as she looked up from her red flashcard. "This is going to be so exciting!"

After dinner, Harry got up with the others and started for the Entrance Hall. Students were spilling out into the large room, headed in every direction toward their common rooms or last stops before curfew. A massive boom shook the hall, making everyone freeze and look around.

"What?" Harry gasped as he realized the massive wooden doors shook. A feeling of dread sunk into the pit of his stomach. It was a visceral feeling of discomfort and danger. "Hermione, Ron, get ready to…" he started but his orders were cut off by a loud crash.

The doors to the Entrance Hall burst open, slamming into the wall on either side. Massive white and black creatures with many legs and glittering eyes flooded into the hall. Harry realized they were spiders as dozens jumped onto the walls and skittered toward the ceiling. "_Fire spells!_" he screamed, pointing his wand between to students in front of him.

The initial crash of student and monster was deafening. Young witches and wizards were caught by surprise, trampled beneath the many-legged spider's charge. The cries of "Incendio!", "Protego!", "_Bombarda!_", and many other spells were punctuated by the screams of students.

"_Form fireteams! Incendio! Duos… __Ebublio__! Grab a partner! Cluster together!_" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs as he shot spells at any spider he could see. Pockets of students listened but many didn't. Hermione and Neville broke off, covering a fallen first-year as they rained spells into a pocket of nearby spiders.

Students poured back into the Great Hall as the shouts and yells of professors called over the din. A pocket of older students in every House tried to protect fellow students and fight the incoming horde of spiders. "Move to the center, Potter. I have your flank," a cool voice came to him through the din. Not looking back, Harry trusted the voice and stepped over the fallen form of a Ravenclaw girl who'd been kicked by a monstrous spider in the initial charge. She cried in a ball on the floor as she clutched her stomach.

"_Bombarda!_" he cried, aiming his wand toward the door where he could see more spiders. The jet of white light flew under the legs of a large spider but hit the one behind it, unable to reach the mass of spiders near the door. A loud explosion rocked the area where his spell hit. The sound of other Exploding Charms erupted around the Entrance Hall, as students tried to fight back the horde.

"Don't use Exploding Charms!" a gruff, familiar voice yelled over the din. "There are downed students among you!" Moody made two large spiders burst into flames as he stomped into the Entrance Hall from near the Marble Stairs.

"Fall back, students!" Kingsley ordered as he seemed to appear from behind the spiders. He fired jets of red and purple lights into the spiders as he strode into the hall, flanked by two grim Aurors.

Harry cursed himself a fool, forgetting about the other students who'd been trampled. "Incendio," he yelled over and over, hitting a spider each time. Two massive forms fell from the ceiling, burning as they hit the ground near him.

"Protego," a clear feminine voice called from beside him, blocking a web that would have hit him in the chest. "You're welcome, Potter."

Harry recognized the voice. Daphne Greengrass rarely spoke but when she did, the entire class listened in Potions. "Thanks," he gasped and shot another Fire-Making Spell at another spider.

Moody and Kingsley fought their way to the center of the hall, killing and burning spiders with every wand wave. Both Aurors that came in with Kingsley had broken off to protect downed students and administer first-aid when necessary.

"Fight in pairs!" Harry called to a small group of students, firing spells in every direction. "Protect each other," he called again and spun to fire another spell at an advancing spider.

"Depulso!" he cried, aiming his wand at a spider rearing back to stomp its front legs on a fallen blonde-haired student. The spell hit the spider mid-thorax, sending the huge beast flying into a group of oncoming spiders.

"Immobulus," Daphne yelled as her spell struck five spiders near a group of students. It bought them enough time to regroup and continue their desperate defense.

"Glacius!" Hermione called from somewhere nearby, hitting three spiders with a blast of icy-cold air. The lead spider's limbs froze as a white sheen covered the front half of its body.

"Expelliarmus," Harry yelled, aiming his wand at a spider who'd just lifted a student into the air by two legs. The spell hit the spider, dropping the student to the floor with a grunt. An idea came to Harry as he watched the hairs on the spider's leg in front of him wiggle. "Calvorio," he said, aiming at a spider climbing the wall near the door.

The red spell hit the spider, causing its hair to fall off. Harry realized he made a mistake when the spider fell to the floor and lashed out at anything close to it. The Hair Loss Curse seemed to drive the spider insane as it attacked another spider beside it.

"_Allow me!_" a charming voice boomed over the commotion of battle. "Bombarda Maxima!" Lockhart called. A tiny white light flew over Harry's head, disappearing into a cluster of retreating spiders. The entire hall shook as the spell erupted.

"Protego!" many voices called out, some being cut off half-way as the shock-wave and debris from the spell hit them. Harry managed to get his shield over the fallen form of Neville, his leg twisted at an unnatural angle, when a rock hit him in the head, knocking his glasses askew as he fell backward.

The world went hazy and dull for a moment as he fought to keep his wand pointed over Neville. At the last moment, he realized his friend was still breathing and wanted to keep it that way. "Harry, Harry," a voice called to him but it seemed far away.

"He's in shock," a gruff voice explained before a heavy hand hauled Harry to his feet. "Took a nasty bump to the head. Boy, release your spell so we can get to your friend," Moody ordered.

"Right… friend… Neville!" Harry cried as he shook his head. The world spun as he swayed.

"That's one way to end the spell," a feminine voice said, amusement in her voice.

"Potter, stop the light show!" someone called in irritation. "Neville is fine, Harry," another, familiar voice said in a soothing tone.

"Hermione," Harry muttered as the Entrance Hall came back into focus. The bright light hurting his eyes stopped as he blinked. "What… what happened?" he asked, trying to blink the blurriness away.

"Acromantulas," a deep, masculine voice said. "Someone set fire to the forest and the dangerous beasts sought vengeance," Kingsley growled as he appeared in Harry's vision. "Thank you for the assistance, Mad-Eye. It might have been worse if you remained in hiding."

Harry watched as his enemy and the person he'd come to respect and look up to greet each other with a firm handshake with their left hands. He noticed their wands remained pointed at the bodies of the smoldering spiders on the flagstones. The smell of burning hair assaulted Harry's nose as he realized one of the burning massive spiders lay near him. Events and conversations with Moody filtered into his mind as he watched the ex-Auror talk to Kingsley.

"No one died, but there are a number of serious injuries. I've already sent word to the Minister," Kingsley informed Moody. "That spell of Lockhart's did a lot more harm than good. Bulstrode, I think her name was, will be lucky to keep her leg."

A soft gasp beside him made him look over his shoulder. Hermione crouched over Neville while Ron kept his wand pointing at a white spider, his eyes wide with terror. Daphne and Zoe stood to one side of the Entrance Hall, talking to a dark-skinned Slytherin with a gash on his arm. Students from every House worked together and supported each other while professors and Aurors barked orders. With numb legs, Harry walked over to Neville and crouched beside his friend. "How's the leg?" he asked as his left knee buckled, depositing him on the hard flagstones.

"Tripped over one of those spiders' legs," the round-faced boy muttered with a strained smile.

"Liar," Hermione sniffed as she poked Neville's leg with her wand. "You pushed me out of the way when I tried to get to Ginny. She tried to get away but got stuck between two Acromantula."

"Ginny?" Ron gasped as he came out of his stupor. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

"She's right here, Ron," Ginny called, irritation coloring her voice. "I got the one that wanted to bite me, burned its eyes off," she declared with a fierce grin. "Harry, your face is covered in blood!"

"I'm okay," Harry muttered, fishing into his robes. His numb fingers fumbled to grab one of the three vials he knew would be in one of his pockets. "Here, Neville," he mumbled and passed a green-tinted vial to his friend. "Wiggenweld," he said by way of explanation and unstopped another vial for himself.

"I think not," a kind, but stern feminine voice ordered. "All of you will go to the Hospital Wing for a check-up. I have beds free now the last of the mandrakes have matured. The Ministry helped with the brewing process and extra supplies needed."

Harry looked up to see Madam Pomfrey waving her wand over Neville. "Does that mean Filch and all the others are back to normal?" he asked as he got to his feet.

"Normal," the matron muttered with a strained smile. "Yes, you could say that. Now, all of you up to the Hospital Wing. I won't hold your hand. Move along."

It seemed like half the school had to get a check-up from the mediwizards and Madam Pomfrey. Harry sat to one side, half-listening to Hermione's account of the battle many students were calling the fight of a century. He didn't get a chance to thank Daphne for helping him out, as she'd been one of the few students near the front of the small skirmish to remain unscathed. The scene with Moody and Kingsley kept playing over and over in his mind as he worked through an uncomfortable conclusion he'd come to. Kingsley knew about Moody the entire time and Mad-Eye had tested him and gained his confidence for the Aurors and Ministry.

"Blimey, did you hear what some of the largest spiders were chanting?" Ron muttered as they crawled into bed hours later. "I can't get it out of my mind."

"What? All I heard was screams and explosions," Harry said with a shrug as he stared at the clear vial in his hand. Madam Pomfrey gave him a Wiggenweld Potion to take to bed if he needed it. He found it amusing but didn't say anything as he took the vial from the healer.

"Fear the Spiders," Ron whispered and suppressed a shudder. "They were chanting to fear the spiders."

"Mate, you want one of my dreamless sleep potions?" Harry asked as he looked into the pale and haunted look on his friend's face. "I know your greatest fear is spiders and after tonight, I can understand why you'd feel that way."

"That was horrible," Ron groaned as he lay back in his bed. "Yeah, if you don't mind, mate. I think a dreamless night might be good. I don't want to imagine whatever my mind might conjure up."

Harry lay awake for hours, replaying every interaction he'd had with Moody in the past. Anger and self-loathing burned away in the pit of his stomach the more he realized the small details. Moody got around the castle without a problem, supposedly right under the nose of trained Aurors. The ex-Auror needed to get inside the castle without being detected but questioned Harry's actions and plan at every turn. Harry knew Mad-Eye had an invisibility cloak or could use the Disillusionment Charm to hide himself. Why would he need Harry to sneak him into the castle?

He made up his mind to confront the ex-Auror the next day and ask for the truth. The next morning, he left the Gryffindor Tower early, headed for the storeroom. Anger and distrust burned in his stomach as he replayed the possible scenarios on how his confrontation with Moody might go.


	14. Chapter 14: The Beast Approaches

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 14: The Beast Approaches**

Moody was not in the storeroom when Harry arrived and knocked on the ex-Auror's door. He debated blasting the door open to make sure Mad-Eye wasn't just asleep but managed to reign in his anger. He lit the fireplace and stood in front of the red dummy. A dull pain throbbed all over his body as sweat made his clothes cling to his skin. Numerous little cuts and gashes decorated his robes as he fell backward into the soft chair by the fire an hour later. The red dummy, harder to handle than before, caught him off-guard multiple times with its efficient and quick movements. While the red dummy cast simple spells, the speed at which they cast them made Harry struggle to maintain a solid defense.

"Work out your anger, Potter?" a gruff voice called from the shadows by the hidden door.

Harry jumped to his feet, wincing as pain lanced up his legs from two spots on his thighs. "Moody," he growled through clenched teeth.

"I'll take that as a no then," the ex-Auror said with a wry grin. He stomped over to the seat beside Harry, the wooden peg sounding loud in the uncomfortable silence. "What is it you wish to ask?"

"You've been working with Kingsley all along!" Harry accused as he fought to keep his anger down. He'd accused Professor Snape of attacking him the year before and had been wrong in his assumption.

"I was working with Dumbledore before that," Mad-Eye growled as he plopped into the cushioned chair.

Harry noticed the dismissive tone and clenched his teeth. "Getting you into the school was a test," he growled.

"I test everyone, Potter. I needed a way into the castle without the Ministry taking note. There are plenty of factions within the Ministry that wouldn't be happy with me here. My protege is working on her assignments while I am covering here."

"You are still an Auror then?" Harry breathed out, trying to reign in his anger. He knew his fingers were gripping his wand tightly by the growing pain in his knuckles.

"I train select trainees but I am not an active Auror anymore," Moody answered with a shrug. "You'd like Nymphadora, or Tonks to everyone but me. She's got your impulsiveness and enough angst to rival half the school. Are you going to curse me, Potter?"

Harry breathed out, shoving his wand into the dueling holster at his hip. He knew he wasn't a match for the veteran in front of him. The way Moody destroyed every spider in his path with casual ease was etched in his mind. "No, I just wanted to know what I was dealing with," he muttered as he snatched up his bag.

"And what do you feel you are… dealing with, Potter?" Moody asked as he rose from his chair, both eyes locked on Harry's.

"A traitor," Harry spat before pushing past Moody and heading for the exit. The ex-Auror said something else but Harry missed it when he slammed the door shut behind him. A low buzzing filled his ears until he exited the storeroom by slamming the door behind him again.

Frustration and anger burned in his stomach as he roamed the halls. Finding a secret passage, he ducked into the dark corridor and pulled out the Marauder's Map. By wand-light, he searched for somewhere to make a new place to hole up until his anger passed. His eyes roamed over the castle's corridors and rooms, noting that many students were up and headed for the Great Hall. Ron, Neville, Dean, Seamus, and Peter Pettigrew were still in the dormitory. The fact there was an unseen ghost in his dormitory always bothered Harry a little.

Continuing to look over the map, he found a group of Slytherins moving along a corridor in the dungeons. They passed by a curved switchback passage at the far end of the Potions Corridor. Intrigued, he flipped over the map and followed the passage deeper into the dungeons. The warren of passages in the dungeons seemed like a good place to have a new hidden base. He wiped the map and put it away before stepping out of the secret passage.

The Great Hall was quiet as the students filed in for breakfast. Many stopped to stare at the Entrance Hall before gentle nudges from their friends pushed them on. Harry found a seat with his back to the wall as he looked over the hall. It seemed a large number of students either hadn't been released from Madam Pomfrey's care or decided to sleep in. Professor McGonagall rose from beside Dumbledore's chair and walked around the High Table to stand in front of the lectern at the center of the raised platform.

"Attention," she called, her voice echoing off the walls. Every student stopped talking and looked toward the pale-faced professor. Once she was sure she had command of everyone's attention she began, "last night was traumatic for many. The Forbidden Forest, home to many magical and non-magical creatures, was set alight at some point during the day. The Acromantula, the massive spiders, that attacked the school seemed to think the culprit behind the fire and destruction of their home was in this school. Yes, some of the older Acromantula can speak English."

A wave of startled and hushed conversations broke out in the hall. "Quiet!" Professor McGonagall ordered as she narrowed her eyes. "This does not excuse their attack on the school. I am merely telling you why they attacked. The Aurors have worked tirelessly with Ministry Officials to capture or kill every Acromantula they can to ensure the safety of the school. A massive colony was found deep in the forest, but I am pleased to inform you that it has been destroyed."

A small cheer went up from a few students, Ron included. "I wish to speak of the heroism and steadfast loyalty you showed for one another. Albus Dumbledore strove to break the invisible walls separating the Houses. Last night, I watched as Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff worked together to bring down an attacker to save a Slytherin. I saw Gryffindors and Slytherins working together for a common goal. Slytherins and Hufflepuffs protecting younger students as they fought to hold their small corner of safety. Every one of you did not falter and did not break under the pressure. I honor all of you for your bravery and courage to fight for what is right without taking into account the crest on a fellow student's robes. You are students of Hogwarts and last night you all personified the spirit of the school and why it was created. For that, I thank you," the professor said as she took a step back and gave a small bow.

The hall was stunned as they watched the stern and proud professor thank them. Tears glistened in Professor McGonagall's eyes as she took her spot before the lectern again. "Now, for more good news. All the petrified people who were attacked earlier in the year are now back to normal. They are with Ministry Officials as they recover from the unpleasant experience. Now, I would normally never do this, but today all classes are canceled."

Her announcement was met with unbridled joy from the seated students. Hats flew into the air as Fred and George jumped onto the table to do a short jig. It took several purple fireworks from the professor's wand to regain order. "That does not give you the liberty to act a fool!" she remonstrated as the corner of her mouth twitched. "Exams will start in three weeks on Monday. Use this time wisely!"

Food appeared on the long tables once Professor McGonagall took her seat. Harry looked up to see Ginny waving at him and beckoning him to sit beside her farther up the table. Ron and Hermione argued about the Ministry's purge of the spiders in the forest. Neville looked pale but chipper as he talked to Dean and Seamus about the short fight in the Entrance Hall. The round-faced boy's eyes lit up as he talked about Moody and Kingsley's entrance into the fight.

"Harry, a word?" an older masculine voice called from behind Harry.

Turning, Harry saw Gilderoy Lockhart standing to one side near one of the large columns. His purple cloak had small rips in it as he stepped out of the shadows. "Professor?" Harry asked, looking at the disheveled professor's appearance. Everything looked wrong about the normally immaculate wizard. Grass stains near the bottom of his robes stood out against the purple fabric.

"I wish to have a word with you, Potter," Lockhart said again, this time in a harder voice. He beckoned with one hand, an eyebrow arched as if he was surprised Harry hadn't already complied with his orders.

"I don't think," Harry started but was cut off by a stern voice.

"Professor Lockhart, please return to the High Table or leave the hall. Do not pester my students on their day off. You've done enough already," Professor McGonagall ordered as she strode down the long table toward the disheveled professor.

"Right you are," Lockhart muttered, shooting a dark look at the Deputy Headmistress. He gave Harry the same look before leaving the hall with a flourish of his cloak.

"Thanks, professor," Harry breathed as the stern professor drew level with him, her eyes locked on Lockhart's retreating back.

"Think nothing of it. If your mentor, Alastor hadn't arrived things would have been worse. Ms. Bulstrode was able to keep her leg with his assistance. I heard a good bit about your performance last night. Keep up your spell-work, Potter."

Harry's ears rung as he listened to the professor. Moody was his mentor? He wondered if that was the story Kingsley and Mad-Eye came up with to cover the fact that Moody snuck into the school without the Ministry knowing. The bubble of anger in his stomach became hotter as he looked to the High Table. Kingsley stood near the back of the hall, his eyes roaming over all the students. Tearing his eyes away, he looked around at the other students, eventually finding Daphne Greengrass' eyes from across the hall. She gave him a tiny nod before going back to her conversation with Zoe and Zabini.

Hermione wanted to waste no time and go up to the storeroom to continue reading on Vanishing Spells, but Harry politely turned her down, explaining he wanted to work on something for a couple of hours. She didn't look happy as he made his way up the marble stairs toward the third floor. He found an empty classroom and looked over the map once more, memorizing the route he wanted to take to look at possible new hideouts. Three stairs later, he had to consult his map again to make sure he hadn't gone off course. The dungeon level was three stories deep in some areas underneath the towers, causing some confusion for him.

He hid when other students, mainly Slytherins, were nearby. Ten minutes later, he found the switchback corridor he'd seen that morning. It wasn't as hidden as he'd hoped but it might serve his purpose as a passive deterrence against wandering, curious students. The first small room on the right of the corridor looked like a forgotten cauldron closet. He found evidence of a long-abandoned experiment scattered across the floor near the back of the room. The next room on the left held a small army of rusted suits of armor like he knew was all over the school. Closing the door, he tried the next door with little hope.

A large, circular metal grate was in the middle of the room, indented in the floor with an identical grate above it. Moving to the center of the room, Harry used his wand to illuminate the dark grate. He saw a dark room with a raised platform of black and white marble slabs. The hulking humanoid figures of chessmen were left abandoned from the previous year. Harry wondered if Dumbledore used this grate to get to them so fast. He never asked Ron or Hermione how they got out of the dungeons.

After removing the grate on the floor with a little trouble, Harry used a Cushioning Charm to drop to the chessboard below. His mood worsened as he started to explore. Little reminders of his confrontation with Quirrell seemed to jump out at him. The spot where he and his friends stood while the possessed professor disabled Professor McGonagall's test. While the keys were no longer in the huge room, the brackets where Ron grabbed the broom was still there. The room where they fell into the Devil's Snare had a ceiling, blocking the shoot they jumped through from the third-floor room. It made him feel a little sick that they'd fallen so far. Going back the other way, he found the corridor where the trolls were. He was glad no sign of the troll's horrific deaths remained. A nightmare he'd had after Quirrell's death was watching his friends suffer similar fates to the two trolls.

Like the room with the trolls, Snape's test room had been cleared away. Nothing remained of the table with little bottles or the black fire blocking the door. It took all of Harry's courage to open the last door. The chamber was dark, unlike the last time he'd been forced into the room. It was an unremarkable chamber with many white torch holders on the walls. The mirror was not there, nor was the body of Quirrell. Harry cast the more powerful wand-lighting spell to illuminate the entire room. In his mind's eye, he watched his struggle with Quirrell as waves of helplessness echoed through his body from the memory. Hermione's scared but determined face seemed to stare back at him, an invisible ghost of reassurance.

Waving his wand, he lit all the torches in the room at once before dismissing the ball of white light attached to the ceiling. Pulling out the map, he looked for his name in the dungeons but couldn't find it. The map's creators didn't find everything the castle had hidden in and under its walls. He felt a small sensation in his cheeks and knew he was grinning from ear to ear. Standing in the center of the chamber, he took a long, hard look at his new hideout. Illusions of furniture, tables, bookcases, and more appeared in his mind as he decided what would go where.

Five hours later, he used the Seize and Pull Charm to get out of the chessboard room. He knew Hermione would be furious that he'd been gone so long, but he didn't care. Looking at the map, he found Ginny, Neville, and Hermione in the library. Ron was outside on the Quidditch field with Fred, George, Oliver, and Angelina. During his walk to the library, he went over the different spells he wanted to go over or find for his new hideout.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione questioned as soon as Harry sat down beside Neville.

"Wandering around and thinking," he replied with a straight face. "Any progress on the Vanishing Spell?"

"I know that face," Ginny piped up, her eyes narrowing. "You've been up to mischief. The twins have the same look." A small grin stretched the corner of her mouth as she crossed her arms. The young witch looked a lot like her mother when she was going to scold one of the boys.

"I plead innocence on all charges," Harry shot back with a laugh. "I'll have you know, I was practicing magic. I think I have the spell down now," he said producing his wand.

"No magic in the library," a stern voice called from somewhere in the maze of bookshelves.

"Oh, right," Harry muttered, putting his wand away. "How does she do that?"

"Madam Pince knows when her books are in danger," Hermione replied with a grin. "We'll go up to the storeroom in a bit anyway. I think I figured out how the spell works too. I was going to show you this morning, but… well…" she said in a quiet voice. "Mad-Eye was looking for you earlier."

Harry gave a non-committal grunt and sat up in his chair. "Neville, do you think you could get some Stinksap over the summer? I know it comes from the Mimbulus mimbletonia, but I don't have a way to take care of any plants at the Burrow."

"Mum might let you have a small garden," Ginny said with a wry grin. "She'll do just about anything for you. I heard dad stepped in it when she discovered you were paying for magic lessons."

Harry couldn't help but laugh aloud. Turning to Hermione and Neville, he explained, "the Ministry decided to give Mr. Weasley a small stipend to help with any expenses I might incur while living there. Mrs. Weasley wouldn't take it so I've been paying Mr. Weasley the money so he could teach me a few things here and there."

"Mum was livid but happy you were taking your magical studies seriously. Something to the effect of, 'maybe his dedication to magic will rub off on the twins, goodness knows they need to study harder'," Ginny quoted with a little laugh. "Oh! Harry, can we work on Potions this year if mum lets us? I know Professor Snape isn't too happy with my work."

"He is hard on all students but shows favoritism to Slytherins because he is required to. I've seen him give worse tongue-lashings to a Slytherin fourth-year than we'd ever get in class," Harry answered with a small shrug. "We'll see what Mrs. Weasley says, but I don't see why not."

"I might be able to get you a little Stinksap, Harry," Neville said into the silence with a frown. "But, why would you need any?"

"A little is for Fred and George, it's hard to get fresh… ish… Stinksap to experiment with at a reasonable price. It isn't popular and works alright when dried, but there are a few things we want to try."

"You boys are making more instruments of terror?" Hermione questioned, her eyes narrowing. "You could be using your time better! Like studying conjuration. I know you said that was one area of Transfiguration you were looking forward to learning."

"Right you are, Hermione. However, to get a complete magical education includes learning how to create wonderful inventions like these!" he shouted and produced a small red packaged cylindrical tube with a golden bow in the middle. "Made almost completely out of magic."

"What does it do?" Ginny asked in a high-pitched voice as she snatched it out of his hand.

"Keep your voice down!" Madam Pince called from another part of the library. "This will be your last warning, Mr. Potter."

"How does she know," Harry groused in a low voice. "The final tests are done and it works like a charm. I can't show you here, but it makes quite the bang. Also, you can't break that one," he said with a grin as he produced a green wrapped tube similar to the red one. "If you snap this, it will cause the red one to go off."

"Oh, my," Hermione muttered as she took the offered tube from Harry's hand. "How did you manage this?" she asked, turning the green firework over in her hand.

"A small secret, but what connects the two fireworks is a Linking Charm. It's one I found in the seventeenth-century book on Charms, near the back. It looks like a precursor or cousin to the Protean Charm. I thought about trying the Protean Charm but it's a little more complicated than I was able to pull off. This one works well enough though," Harry explained as he sat back in his chair. He was pleased to see the excitement and wonder on Ginny and Neville's face. Hermione gave him a complicated look as she handed the green firecracker to Neville.

"Hermione, you take the red one," Harry ordered after getting the two firecrackers back.

"I will not have you pranking me whenever you desire, Mr. Potter!" Hermione hissed through clenched teeth. The entire table erupted into quiet, but violent, laughter as Hermione imitated Professor McGonagall's voice.

"No, seriously, take it. If something were to happen… I would be the first to know. I hope I'll be the first to know. You know how dangerous it is. We'll talk about finding a new school for next semester. I don't think I can stand the stress of knowing who is the culprit but being unable to do anything about it."

The table's mood dropped at Harry's words. Ginny looked pale as she looked from Harry to Hermione. "What… what do you think might happen?" she asked in a low voice.

"Lockhart will be possessed or already is possessed. I don't know what makes me feel that with certainty, but I just know. The Chamber will be opened again before the end of school. Hermione, if… when that happens and I hear the Basilisk. I'll break the green one, setting off your firecracker. It won't be explosive because it makes a loud pop is all. If that happens, go to Professor McGonagall immediately. If you can't find her, then… go to Kingsley and tell him the worst is loose in the castle. Then run… just run. All of you get to safety. Barricade a door, get off the school grounds, and make sure to cover your eyes."

"You really think…" Hermione started but stopped when Harry nodded.

"I learned to trust my gut last year. My guts are churning so bad I can't poop," Harry answered, trying to add a little humor into the conversation. It didn't work.

"Shouldn't we just go now?" Neville asked in a quiet voice. "We can take the exams from home or I could ask Gran to pressure the Ministry for a tutor. Harry, this is serious."

"Yes, we should leave, but how do we explain that my gut is telling me the students are in even more danger now. Do we fake a horrible illness? I can't even promise the adults will believe us when Hermione tells Professor McGonagall about the Basilisk. I know she has to know something is in her school. The Aurors and Moody will have told her, but will she know or trust us enough to act on it. It took five to seven minutes for a student to die last time," Harry said in a low voice. "I'm glad Luna is doing better and is away from here Ginny."

"Me too," the red-haired girl answered in a low voice. "That Diary is evil."

"It is and I wish I knew how I could get it back."

Harry tried to talk about happier things after Hermione put the red firecracker in her schoolbag. He had limited success until he made the suggestion they all work on their wand-work in one of the large study rooms beside the library. Hermione gave him a strange look but he ignored it. Neville and Ginny perked up when they both told Harry what spells they were working on. Harry promised to give both of them pointers to master the spell. He didn't feel like a master of any of the spells he'd learned so far because of the different theories and implementations each spell could be put to.

"The General Counter-Spell is hard to get right, Neville. Even I'm not a master of it yet because of the different types of spells. This is used for blocking or canceling… minimal, or minor magic spells, might be the best way to explain it. Thinks like Jelly-Legs, the Impediment Jinx, and the Bat-Bogey Hex," Harry explained as he flourished his wand. "Cast the Tickling Hex on me."

"Titillando," Neville intoned after thinking for a few seconds.

A purple light hit Harry in the chest as two purple hands manifested themselves out of thin air and started to tickle him. Harry felt little, which is why he asked Neville to cast that particular spell. With a wave of his hand, he said, "Finite." The purple hands vanished with a puff of red smoke as he looked up at Neville. "Confidence is the key to the General Counter-Spell. Confidence that the jinx, hex, or curse will stop. Now, it requires you to know what the hex, jinx, or curse is doing to you or whoever you are… curing for a lack of a better word. It is much easier to self-diagnose the problem than it is to diagnose someone else. If you saw… say," Harry started but broke off, trying to come up with a good analogy for what he was trying to convey. "Say you saw someone's face swelling and you wanted to stop the spell before it set in. What jinx, curse, or hex do you think it might be?"

Neville bit his lip, thinking hard. "The Pimple Jinx because it causes boils to erupt," he said with a frown. "Wait, no, the Stinging Jinx!"

"Correct, the Stinging Jinx. You would imagine their face back to normal and cast Finite Incantatem because of the multilayered effect on its target."

"I agree and disagree with what you said," Hermione interjected as she stepped over to Neville. "Finite would work because it is a single effect, swelling of the targeted area, and not a continuous effect like Jelly-Legs Jinx or the Twitchy-Ears Hex. Both cause multiple effects on the target and unlike the Tickling Hex, which conjures hands to do the work, things like Pepper Breath Hex or the Hair Loss Curse are single effects."

Harry frowned before nodding. "I agree with your assessment and reasoning; however, Pepper breath and the Hair Loss Curse could be a multilayered spell as well. Each inhalation would require the spell to reactivate and so would the hair loss. Once one fell out, the next would be attacked by the spell causing a cascade."

They argued for a few minutes before Neville interrupted them with a cough. "Uh, can we just go back to the simple stuff. I mean, it's cool to hear about… whatever that wizard's name was' theory on whatever you called it," he said before being interrupted by both Harry and Hermione at the same time.

"Theory of Structural Changes to the Wizard's Body During Spell Casting," they chorused. A small laugh from a couple of students in the study room made Harry's cheeks burn. He hadn't realized their argument drew the attention of some of the other students.

"Right, that," Neville said in a flat voice. "Can we just get back to how to block or cancel the hexes and curses?"

"Right," Harry muttered bringing his wand up again. "I'll use the Tickling Charm and you cast the counter. Titillando," he intoned without warning.

Neville, caught by surprise, doubled over with laughter as he tried to wave his wand in front of him. His futile efforts made the other students laugh. Harry narrowed his eyes and canceled the spell with a wave of his wand. "I caught you off guard, sorry Neville. Nod when you are ready."

Neville took a moment to regain composure and set his shoulders. His eyes burned with an inner light as he nodded to Harry. The moment he saw the jet of light fly from Harry's wand he started the movement for the counter-spell. "_Finite_!" he yelled, once the purple hands materialized. With a puff of red smoke, the hands disappeared.

"Well done!" Hermione, Harry, and Ginny praised as a few of the other students added in their congratulations.

"Thanks, that was brilliant," Neville breathed out, his eyes focused on the wand in his hand. "Can you show me how to block the Full Body-Bind Curse, Leg-Locker Curse, and the Biting Jinx?"

Harry froze for a second before looking hard at his friend's face. "Zoe has been using those on you then?" he questioned, watching the round-faced boy's eyes.

"Uh, what?" Neville asked, looking scared and cornered as he took a step back from Harry.

"I thought as much. Yes, I'll show you how to block them and more. I'll show you how to fight back, Neville," Harry offered as he looked around. "But not here, too many eyes. Sorry, Ginny, I'll make it up to you but this is a little more important."

"Oh, right… uh… I understand, Harry," Ginny answered in a high-pitched, cracking voice. She looked at Hermione who shook her head a little.

Harry saw the exchange but didn't know what to make of it. "Come on, Neville," he called as he started to leave the room.

"Hey! Potter! Can we get special tutoring too?" a voice called from somewhere within the small group of students watching Harry and his friend. Snickers and laughter made Harry think the question was posed to make fun of him or Neville.

"Ignore them," Harry advised Neville as they left the room. "Sometimes if you ignore them, they go away. Other times, you just have to curse them into a puddle for them to understand."

Neville made little sound as he followed Harry up to the storeroom. It took Harry a moment to realize where he was headed and another moment to decide he wanted to go elsewhere. "Just a little farther," he told his friend as they walked past the corridor toward the storerooms.

In an abandoned classroom three corridors away, Harry locked the door behind them with a spell and turned to Neville. "You don't have to tell me when it started but only that you are okay," he said, looking Neville in the eyes.

The round-faced boy flinched before squaring his shoulders. "Just show me how to block her spells… please," he answered in a low voice.

"Right, I'll go through everything I know and even show you the Shield Charm which will block them all. The General Counter-Spell will help if you get hit but the Shield Charm will deflect anything from hitting you. Well, any minor jinx and curse that is."

Harry drilled Neville hard for the next two hours, having to use two of his Wiggenweld Potions to help his injured friend. He wanted to stop multiple times but Neville kept pushing himself and Harry wasn't going to dissuade his friend.

Moody caught up with Harry after dinner with a tall, willowy witch with dark brown hair. She had owls and cats in gold embroidered on her robes. "Potter, meet Lydia Proud, a Yank Magizoologist that graduated from Ilvermorny a few years ago. One of the best in her field," the grizzled veteran called as he stomped over to Harry in the Entrance Hall.

Feeling his eye twitch, Harry looked between Mad-Eye and the Yank witch. "A pleasure," he said, trying to keep his voice even and the anger firmly sealed in his stomach.

"I've heard a great deal about you, Heir Potter," Lydia said in a soft voice as she stuck out a callused hand for Harry to shake.

"All the bad rumors are true, I swear you can't keep good help around here," Harry answered with a strained smile as he shook the strong hand of the adult witch.

"Alastor said you had a sense of humor. Something about jokes and pranks as well," Lydia said with a thin smile. "I and a few friends are staying with the Deputy Headmistress' permission on the grounds for a few days. There was talk of an exchange program between Ilvermorny and Hogwarts."

Harry gave a non-committal hum as he took a step back from the two adults. "It was nice to meet you Lydia, but I must be off," he said before turning and all but sprinting away from the pair. He didn't want to be close to Mad-Eye if possible, even if he had a load of questions about Ilvermorny and what a Magizoologist did.

That night was rough, he couldn't sleep even knowing more trained wizards were somewhere inside the school grounds. Restless, he got up, dressed, and donned his Invisibility Cloak. Taking out his map, he traversed the corridors toward the dungeons and his new hideout. Two familiar names appeared on the map in the trophy room, Argus Filch and Mrs. Norris. The caretaker's cat hadn't been seen since Filch's petrification. Harry wondered if the two had a secret none of the other professors knew.

Long into the night, Harry worked on his new hideout with the help of several books scattered on the hard, cold stones. He spent extra time and effort on heating the comfortably sized room so he wouldn't freeze to death in the colder months. By enchanting the six stone columns to emit heat, he managed to create a comfortable atmosphere. His essential furniture and decorations were made from old parchment that he enlarged, cut to shape, and hardened to stone. It took a few tries to get the bed the way he wanted and the bookshelf to stay upright.

Harry spent the night in his hideout, knowing it would be Saturday and everyone would be slow to rise. He left the dungeons with a spring in his step. The heating spells he cast remained through the night and the Softening Charm on the stone bed helped him to sleep well. By his internal clock, the other students would be heading down to breakfast in the Great Hall. He dodged two groups of Slytherins and found a new secret passage that wasn't marked on the map by watching two fourth-year Hufflepuffs disappear into a wall near the Potions Corridor.

His good mood vanished when he spotted Moody, Kingsley, and Lydia talking to Professor McGonagall near the Entrance Hall as he stepped onto the last step leading into the Entrance Hall from the dungeons. Kingsley used his hands to emphasize a strong point but Harry couldn't make out what the bald Auror was saying. Lydia looked like she'd eaten a lemon by the way her face was scrunched up.

Harry sat with Neville, his back to the wall, during breakfast. He asked his friend how he was feeling and if he worked on the spells he'd taught him. Neville confided the Shield Charm worked some of the time but not all of the time when he tried to cast it. "Just remember to imagine a barrier between you and anything that might harm you," Harry advised as he took a sip from his goblet. "Know that you are protected and your magic will make it happen."

"Easy for you to say," Neville muttered. "Mine doesn't come to me when I just want it to. It seems I take ages to cast the simplest spells."

"I practiced a lot. Last year, I had Malfoy as a strong motivation to learn the Shield Charm. Use Zoe as motivation. Once you cast the spell the first time, and you have, the rest is learning how to make the magic adapt to what you want. It will get easier with time. Mark my words, spend thirty minutes a day on it like I did, and you'll see a lot of improvement in a week." Harry lied a little about the amount of time he spent. It was closer to an hour a day but he didn't want to dissuade his friend from trying.

"I'll try," Neville answered in a low voice. The small quaver in his voice gave away his uncertainty to Harry's prediction.

"Thirty minutes a day isn't bad. Ten in the dormitory before breakfast, ten after class, and ten before bed… see, simple," Harry encouraged as his eyes tracked Kingsley's movement across the Great Hall. He'd sat beside Professor Snape during breakfast. If the Potion Master's face was anything to go by, it wasn't a pleasant conversation.

"Potter, a word," Professor McGonagall called from the Entrance Hall as everyone filed out after breakfast.

"Yes, Professor," Harry said as he made his way through the crowd to the aging professor.

"Your second-year end-of-terms will be administered in three weeks' time. Because you, Miss Granger, and a couple of other students all are on the same program, expect special exams in two weeks' time. Take this time to study and go over anything you might have questions on. Understand, you must pass these exams in order to continue in the program."

Harry felt a weight settle in his stomach as he tried to imagine Hermione's fervor over the next couple of weeks. The added pressure of the Diary, the Basilisk, and Lockhart seemed to make his stomach twist in a hard knot. "Alright, professor," he muttered, holding his stomach.

"No need to look so worried. The exam will be administered by a third party and graded by another examination team. While the questions will be harder, they will still by O.W.L. standard questions. I cannot tell you the bar you must reach to remain in the curriculum," Professor McGonagall said in a stern voice. "Now, off with you. Tell Miss Granger the good news."

Harry nodded and left for the library, knowing Hermione would want to spend the first few hours of her weekend reading. Hermione's reaction was about what he expected. His bushy-haired friend's psyche flipped from excitement and proactive planning to crying and nervousness about how little time they had to review. She asked him to repeat Professor McGonagall's words back to her three times before Harry got fed up.

"Listen, we go back over the list, again, and go from there. It isn't like our new flashcards don't have the vast majority of what we've learned so far," Harry explained, trying not to lose his temper.

"Oh, but Harry," Hermione moaned as she bit the fingernail on her thumb. "There is still so much we haven't covered. Look here, the checklist has so many things we haven't checked off. The eighteenth-century views on all these spells have to be important. We started from so far back, it could be that we don't have current information!"

"Hermione, we've covered a lot of information in one year. They can't expect us to be masters of all seven core subjects. For Merlin's sake, we have five more courses added next year," Harry groused as he sat back in his chair.

"You can't be sure they won't expect us to have mastered all this. It isn't impossible," Hermione shot back with a glare.

"You'd have to be a bloody genius to have all this mastered. We're searching for information in the sixth and seventh-year coursebooks. That's like saying the next five years is useless."

"You aren't seeing what I'm saying," Hermione complained as she pointed to the checklist. "You and I made this list from all the information we'd collected in all the books we referenced. We haven't even completed this checklist. Maybe we've missed something important for these exams."

Harry took a deep breath. He knew he could argue with Hermione for hours and get nowhere. "There is too little time to redo the entire checklist. I think we should review each section for each bullet point. Write out everything we know on it and compare notes. It's the only thing I can think of."

"Give me a minute to think," she said with a look of concentration as she brushed the end of her quill against her cheek. She stared at a blank parchment in front of her for five minutes before starting to write.

Harry waited in silence as Hermione worked. Instead of thinking about the exams, he focused on his worries about the dark events surrounding the school. While he wanted to do well on the exams, it would mean little if he lost any of his friends because of his mistakes. Hermione interrupted his dark thoughts when she pushed a parchment toward him.

"Here, these are some of the main spells and topics I remember reading about in a few books that are covered what to study for the O.W.L. exams. Granted, some of those books were a hundred or more years old, but the Stunning Spell, Levitation Charm, Vanishing Spell, Patronus Charm, and Polyjuice Potion all show up. It took me a bit to remember what I circled a while back. We start with these and branch out. I just need to find that sheet I have stashed away in my trunk later. I bewitched my ink to have different colors so I could show which came up more often."

"Brilliant, if you want to find that, I'll start getting the books for these spells in particular," Harry said, sitting up. "Might as well crack on then."

The weekend flew by for Harry as he reviewed information on the various topics they might be tested on. Hermione looked positively wretched by lunch on Sunday and Harry knew he looked the same. Ron and Neville stared at them like they were dark creatures that escaped the Forbidden Forest. Ginny seemed to take in Hermione's energy and studied harder than ever, trying to catch up to her role model. Harry was glad the red-haired girl left him and Hermione alone for the most part. His head hurt from the constant study, arguments between him and Hermione, and worry over the Basilisk.

Harry's body hurt all over Monday morning when he rose to go to breakfast. After downing another Wiggenweld Potion, he pulled on his robes and trainers. He'd lost count how many he'd drunk over the last two days. The Great Hall boomed with noise, making his throbbing head hurt more, so he excused himself from breakfast early to wait by the Potion Master's classroom in the dungeons. A familiar face greeted him, flanked by two lumbering masses of flesh.

"Potter, you look dreadful. Still dreaming about Azkaban. Father says your imprisonment made you mentally unstable," Draco drawled as he swaggered toward Harry in the corridor.

"Feel as bad as I look, Malfoy," Harry shot back, not having the energy to verbally spar with the ponce.

"Poor Potter," Draco sneered. "Heard you put on a bit of a display during the spider attack. Heard a certain blonde came to your rescue at the very end. A shame you didn't get hit by Lockhart's spell. He's been showing me and the boys some… interesting magic. Care to try your luck?"

Alarm bells went off in Harry's head as he stared into first Draco's eyes and then Crabbe and Goyle's eyes. He was pleased to find all three boys looked lucid. "Don't feel like entertaining you three today. How about tomorrow?"

"Aw, but we want to try these cool new spells. Here, let me give you a taste," Draco spat as he drew his wand.

"Draco, Potter, put those away, now," the sneering voice of Professor Snape ordered from the opening door to the Potion's classroom.

"Saved, Potter," Draco hissed as he complied with the professor's orders.

"You were the one saved, Draco. Look at Potter's wand," the Potion Master said as he appeared in the doorway. "Five points from Gryffindor for not putting away your wand, Potter."

"Right, professor," Harry said as he slid his wand back in its holster. Draco's eyes were wide when he realized Harry's wand had been pointed at his groin.

"Since you are all early, enter and begin preparation for class. We will be going over the Wiggenweld Potion and its adverse effects on the human body from drinking too many in a short amount of time," Professor Snape said in a hard voice. He stared at Harry with narrowed eyes. "To use such a strong and expensive potion," the professor started and trailed off. "Is a gross misuse of money and time."

"Right, professor," Harry replied, wondering how Professor Snape knew he'd been drinking a lot of it. He hoped whatever information they were going to go over in class wouldn't clue Hermione into what he'd been doing. His hopes were dashed midway through the lesson when the professor called Harry to the front to give physical proof and evidence of the adverse effects of the potion.

"You… how could you be so reckless!" Hermione scolded as they left the classroom. "You could die if you kept drinking it."

"Could and would are two different things," Harry replied and wished he hadn't.

"You knew the symptoms! You knew and you still took the potions. I thought I saw you drinking something all weekend. How many vials did you drink?"

"I don't remember," he answered in truth. The murderous look from his friend made him laugh. At the last second, he managed to turn the laugh into a cough.

"See! You'll be spitting up blood soon," Hermione yelled as she put both hands on his shoulders to stop him, looking him up and down.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Harry protested before his friend let him go. Ron and Neville stayed out of the bushy-haired witch's tirade and shot Harry pitying looks.

The rest of the day flew by until the last class of the day with Lockhart. Harry took his seat beside Ron near the back of the class. The flamboyant professor strutted across the small stage near the blackboard as he beamed at all the students. A feeling of discomfort settled in the pit of Harry's stomach as he watched Lockhart.

"Welcome, welcome, take your seats. Today will be a special class. I believe I told you about the monstrous white spiders that hounded me years ago. The other night they attacked the school, presumably looking for me," the professor stated while putting his hand to his chest. "I am deeply sorry so many of you had to experience that. It could have been so much worse if I hadn't blasted all those monsters to scare them away. So, today's lesson will go over the ways to permanently put down those beasts."

With a wave of his wand, a large red curtain in the corner fell to reveal one of the white Acromantula squashed in a small cage. At the sight of the students, the spider squirmed and spit large gobs of mucus from between its pincers. The mucus didn't make it far but it scared many of the students. Ron had a horrified look on his face. Harry noticed his friend had drawn his wand in his fright and was pointing it at the spider.

"Quite all right, students. You can put your wands away," Lockhart called to the class.

Harry realized his wand was in his hand as well. Glancing around, he realized Neville had his wand out too. With a shrug, Harry put his wand away and sat down, wondering where Lockhart was going with the lesson.

"As you know, I saved the school from these beasts and managed to catch a few while the Aurors were dealing with the nest in the Forbidden Forest. I'm pleased to announce the king of these beasts, self-named Aragrog, or something like that, was killed with my expert help," Lockhart boasted as he brushed off the sleeves of his robes. "Now, as I was saying before, I will show you three ways to deal with these beasts in the future. The first is…" he said before being interrupted by the door to the classroom slamming open.

Everyone jumped and turned to see Professor McGonagall glaring at Lockhart. "Professor Lockhart," the aged professor said in a low, dangerous voice. "Am I to understand you've captured five Acromantula from the forest and have tortured four of them to death in front of _my students_?!"

"What? No, Minerva. I was showing my students how to incapacitate these beasts if they ever met them again." Lockhart gave his best-beaming smile as he spread his arms wide.

"This is unacceptable behavior. Burning, freezing, and reducting trapped beasts is a horrendous way to teach your students. Gilderoy, I'm going to have to ask you to retire for the day. We will have a conversation about what is acceptable to teach and what isn't. Class dismissed," Professor McGonagall ordered. The students who stared back at her, dumbfounded. "You heard me, leave the class, now."

Harry was one of the last students to leave under Professor McGonagall's harsh gaze. Just as the door closed, he slowed down when he heard Professor McGonagall lay into Lockhart. Her tirade made him thankful he wasn't on the receiving end. After listening for a minute, he ran to catch up to his friends who were waiting for him at the end of the corridor.

"What did you hear?" Ron questioned as they rounded the corner. The sound of a slamming door from the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom reverberated around the corridors.

"Professor McGonagall is bloody mad at Lockhart. Not here though, I'll tell you in a bit," Harry breathed out as he pushed Ron in the back, hoping to encourage his friend to move.

"Alright, so what happened?" Ron asked again once they sat down in the library. Hermione and Neville leaned in with curious expressions.

"If I heard it correctly, Professor McGonagall laid into him about the spells used on the Acromantula in front of impressionable students and his disregard for student safety last Thursday night. I'm not sure but she may have said the entire thing was his fault."

"What?" his friends gasped in unison.

"I'm not sure what to make of it either. Either way, we got out of another of his lessons," Harry said with a shrug. "Have you guys got all the homework done?" he asked while looking at Ron and Neville.

Ron grimaced and shook his head. "I don't know about Neville, but I know I've got a thirteen-inch essay for Potions and another one for History of Magic due before Wednesday."

"I've got Potions and Herbology to finish," Neville said with a shrug. "I guess we should do them now since we'd be in class normally."

"A brilliant idea," Hermione said with a beaming smile. "Are the Potions essays on the Fire-Protection Potion?"

Harry stayed in the library to study with Hermione after Ron and Neville left. Ron wanted to get some more Quidditch practice in and Neville wanted to check on some of his favorite plants in the greenhouses. Hermione set a grueling pace as they flew through the material. After dinner, Harry went to his new hideout to practice a little more magic before bed. The last thing he remembered was sitting in one of his new chairs for a minute.

"Oh, bloody hell!" Harry yelled, jumping to his feet. It took him a moment to orient himself and check his internal clock. "I'm so bloody buggered," he muttered as he scooped up his rucksack and bolted for the chessboard room.

"Mr. Potter, how nice of you to join us," Professor McGonagall said in a frosty voice. "Take a seat. We will talk after class ends."

Harry was fifteen minutes late to class, something he wouldn't have thought was possible with how regimented his sleep schedule was. He attributed it to being more tired than he'd realized from his stress and studying. Transfiguration breezed by as the professor had everyone review the Softening Charm and turning a pair of rabbits into slippers.

"Mr. Potter, you have some explaining to do. Not only were you late to class but you were sleeping outside your dormitory. You give an honest answer, as I will know if you are lying," Professor McGonagall ordered once the door closed behind the last student.

"Sorry, professor. I went to one of the abandoned classrooms to practice a couple of spells and sat down. I guess I fell asleep because the next thing I knew it was already time for class to start."

The stern professor hummed as she gave Harry a hard look. "You look tired, Potter. However, I cannot let this slide. Tonight you will serve detention with Professor Snape and twenty points will be deducted from Gryffindor. Safety is paramount."

"Yes professor," Harry answered, fearing more what Hermione would say when she found out. "It won't happen again."

"I will hold you to that. Now, good luck next week but don't kill yourself trying to cram."

Hermione was livid with him when she saw him waiting outside the greenhouses. "You never returned to the tower last night! Do you know how worried we were? What happened?"

"I fell asleep after practicing some spells, sorry."

"Professor McGonagall was livid. Let me guess, detention and points off?" she questioned with a huff and a glare.

"Yeah, I've got detention with Professor Snape and lost twenty points," Harry admitted with a sigh.

"I want to curse you for being an idiot. Don't do it again," Hermione warned in a dark voice. "I'll drag you back to the tower kicking and screaming if you do this again."

Ron and Neville shook their heads at him when he explained what happened. The day flew by as rumors of Lockhart's foul mood ran around the school. At lunch, Fred and George said the flamboyant professor left minutes into the class with a dark look at his students and didn't return until almost time for the bell to ring. He didn't greet anyone or dismiss the class as he went back to his office and slammed the door.

"Well, I'd better head down to the dungeons," Harry said after pushing his book away from him. His head hurt from trying to read the small, faded and loopy handwriting.

"At least it will only be two hours," Hermione said with a shrug. "We'll continue tomorrow."

"Yeah," Harry said with a sigh as he got up. "My head is about to do me in as it is."

"Just don't drink any more of your Wiggenweld Potions," Hermione called as he started to leave.

Harry waved his hand without turning around as he hoisted his rucksack higher on his shoulder. The door to the Potions classroom was open when Harry approached. He knocked on the door as he entered, dropping his rucksack by his usual seat.

"Potter, how surprising it is to see you so early," Professor Snape sneered as he appeared from the ingredient storeroom. "Tonight, I will have you prepare seven cauldrons of Doxycide… at the same time. I don't have time for you to mess up one potion after another, so maybe, you can get two of the seven done right. For every potion you manage to bungle, I'll add more time onto your detention to clean the cauldron with no magic. Begin, the ingredients are sitting on the counter."

It took Harry a few seconds to realize the Potion Master wasn't kidding and another minute to try and figure out how to achieve the miracle the professor wanted. One potion of Doxycide wasn't hard to brew, but making seven potions at the same time was insane. Squaring his shoulders, Harry walked to the ingredient storeroom and started to bring out the bottles of Streeler shells, Dragon liver, Hemlock essence, and the other ingredients necessary to brew the potion.

"Professor, there isn't enough Cowbane essence and Dragon liver to complete all seven potions," Harry said after he'd prepared the ingredients. It had taken him half an hour to prepare and layout the ingredients below each cauldron.

"Adapt and overcome, or fail," Professor Snape answered with a lazy wave of his hand.

Harry grumbled and tried to figure out the best way to overcome the challenge. If there was too little Cowbane essence the potion would fizzle out into a black sludge and if he didn't use enough Dragon liver the potion could bubble over, burning everything with a low-strength acid. His next thought was to use a substitute ingredient but couldn't come up with anything that might work.

Gritting his teeth, Harry surmised the professor wanted him to fail in brewing two of the seven potions. The Potion Master made a satisfied sneer as Harry lit all seven cauldrons. Brewing Doxycide wasn't a long process, but Harry struggled to keep up with the mental checklist in his head as he added ingredient after ingredient into the cauldrons.

Half an hour later, Professor Snape rose from behind his desk and moved to inspect Harry's work. "Let's see what utter garbage you managed to brew. I have never seen such a sloppy technique," the professor sneered as he shook his greasy hair. He looked down the bridge of his nose into the first cauldron and took a sniff. "Pungent and black, good for the first attempt."

Snape walked down the line of cauldrons, pointing out mistakes and anything he deemed a failure. The last two cauldrons he ignored. "Pitiful, Potter. Four, adequate concoctions out of seven. One of which I should declare a failure, but I'm feeling generous."

"What other ingredients could I have used to replace the Cowbane and Dragon liver?" Harry asked, his teeth clenching.

"Nothing," Professor Snape answered with a sneer. "For Doxycide there is no known substitute for the ingredients in the original concoction."

"So I was meant to fail in the last two cauldrons?" Harry questioned, his anger rising higher in his chest.

"Yes, does that anger you, Potter?"

"Yes, it angers me! All year everything has been stacked against me!" Harry bellowed, his anger rushing out like a torrent he couldn't control. "First the attacks, then Azkaban, and now Lockhart may open the Chamber again."

"Poor pathetic Potter. The world hates you so all you do is cry and rage. Stand up like a man, boy," the Potion Master sneered as he looked Harry over.

"Don't you tell me what to do! You have no idea what I've been dealing with this year. The Basilisk is still alive and could attack at any time. It could be let loose by Lockhart before the end of the year! Tom Riddle said it had happened before. Years ago when a girl died. Well, this time a boy died too and I don't want anyone else to die," Harry shouted as the anger poured out of him. His limbs shook as he stared down his Potions professor.

"Tom… Riddle… How do you know that name?" Professor Snape questioned in a low, dangerous voice. "Potter, tell me now!"

"The Diary," Harry breathed out, his anger leaving him. "The Diary was Tom Riddle's from back when the first time the Chamber of Secrets was opened. A girl died and the Ministry covered it up. They expelled Hagrid then and used Hagrid as a scapegoat this time as well," he explained as he ran a hand through his air. Something in the back of his mind was screaming at him, but he couldn't figure it out.

"This… Diary, what has become of it?"

"It's a dark, cursed object. It possessed Ginny Weasley into…" Harry broke off as a cold feeling spread through his body.

"Into what! Say it, Potter" Professor Snape demanded. His eyes burned with a fire Harry had never seen in the dark-eyed adult.

"_Rip, tear… feed and kill… kill them all,_" a soft hissing, haunting voice echoed around the room. A voice only Harry could hear.

"_N__o__!_" Harry yelled and rummaged around in his pockets.

"Answer me, Potter. What did the Diary make Miss Weasley do?" the professor demanded in a harsh tone.

"The Basilisk, it's loose again," Harry gasped out as he pulled the small green firecracker. He snapped the casing on the firecracker and watched as the green paper burned away to nothing a moment later.

"Basilisk? Loose? Speak sense, Potter. Hey! Get back here!" Professor Snape yelled as Harry bolted for the door.


	15. Chapter 15: The Heir of Slytherin

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 15: The Heir of Slytherin**

Harry ran as hard as he could, trying to track the sound of the Basilisk through the walls. His heart hammered in his chest as he tried not to imagine the horror he would find by following the Basilisk's murderous chanting. A series of muffled bangs went off somewhere up the corridor followed by another distant explosion. The Potion Master's heavy footfalls followed Harry as he rounded the next corridor.

"Potter! Get back here this instant," Professor Snape ordered in a breathless voice.

"This is too important," Harry yelled as he shoved aside a tapestry. "Give me more detention later."

The professor's response was cut off by the tapestry closing off the entrance. Harry ran to the other end of the narrow corridor and pushed with all his might, swinging open a heavy and ornate picture frame of a vagrant wizard from the fourteen-hundreds.

"_Seize them… __bite__ them… kill… all,_" the Basilisk called again, this time closer to where Harry was.

Harry ran harder toward the Basilisk, unsure of what to do if he met the creature. He hoped to lead people away from the dangerous beast at best. A flurry of activity made him look up as five students appeared in the corridor with scared looks on their faces.

"This way, no matter what House you are in, this way! Get into a classroom. You, boy at the end of the corridor. Come with us. This is an order from the Aurors," the tall Ravenclaw Prefect ordered as he ushered the students into the closest open door.

"Go ahead, I'm working with Kingsley," Harry lied and continued to run past the other students who gave him bewildered looks.

"Potter, this is no laughing matter. Get back here," Professor Snape's voice followed Harry as he ran up the corridor. "What, why are all these students here?"

"Professor, the Aurors said there is another attack and everyone needed to get to safety. Help me barricade this lot in here so we can look for more students," the Ravenclaw Prefect said with a shrug.

Whatever the Potion Master replied, Harry missed at because he had to dodge out of the way of two Hufflepuff Students running past him, headed toward the stairs for the dungeons. "Lock yourselves in a classroom," Harry yelled as he continued his run. All six suits of armor in the alcoves of the corridor creaked to life, a dull green glow appearing behind the visor of their helmets.

After climbing the stone spiral staircase to get to the second floor, Harry realized the Basilisk sounded like it was in the wall next to him, making him slow to a stop and pulling out his wand. Now faced with the beast, he didn't know what to do. He could feel rather than see something massive behind the thick stone of the castle walls. His hesitation allowed a breathless Professor Snape to catch up with him.

"Potter…" the Potion Master hissed as he came to a stop at the top of the stairs. He was about to say something before he stopped. "It's there, isn't it. You can tell." It wasn't a question.

"It's enormous," Harry breathed as he tracked the progress of the snake up through the wall. It was headed for the third floor. "How are we going to beat it?" he asked himself, half pleading something would give him an answer outside his hastily concocted ideas. He cursed himself a fool for not working harder on the spell he wanted to modify.

"You are doing nothing but getting to a classroom and waiting this out. If I'm right, your warning may have given the school enough time to keep everyone safe… at least until we can evacuate."

"This won't stop here. Not while Lockhart has the Diary. There will be more deaths and the Basilisk will have free reign of the castle if we don't stop it. Could you imagine what it could do if it got out?" Harry asked in a quiet voice. He tracked the hisses of the Basilisk with his eyes, trying to imagine where it would be going.

"A problem for adult wizards to figure out, not twelve-year-old boys. Now, for the last time… _Potter_!"

Harry took off down the corridor after hearing the triumphant cry of the Basilisk. It had found prey. Footfalls ringing in his ears, he turned down the next corridor and took the stairs two at a time as he climbed the narrow staircase to the third floor. Fumbling in his robes, he eased the door open and used the small mirror to scout the corridor. After verifying the coast was clear on both sides he started to move into the corridor when a rough hand snatched him off his feet.

"Last warning, Potter. You are trying my patients. If you want to run to your death, fine. But if you do, the Aurors will not have this rare chance to find the Basilisk while it is weakened. I will stun you if you run off again." Professor Snape slammed the door shut and cast the Locking Charm on the handle.

"I can get to my feet, thank you," Harry grumbled, yanking his arm away from the professor who was trying to get him to his feet.

"Follow and listen. I don't intend to die or spend the next few months petrified," the Potion Master ordered with a sneer.

Harry followed behind the professor, listening out for the Basilisk. A minute after they left the stairwell, a crash echoed from the corridor where the stairs were. Professor Snape gave Harry a withering glare as he picked up his pace.

Standing at the end of the next corridor was an unfamiliar stout adult wizard in brown robes and a floppy, brown hat. He looked around with a look of concentration. With a wand each hand, he ushered students with his left wand while covering the corridor behind them with his right. "Right little ones, no need to be a spaz. Single file into the next classroom. Recludus," the dark-haired wizard called, using his left wand to open a door farther down the corridor.

Harry heard the door crash against the wall, making him jump. "Who is that?" he asked, more to himself than to the professor.

"How should I know, Potter. There are several foreign wizards in the castle tonight," the Potion Master spat as he glared at the wizard ushering the last few students to safety. "This is the second foreign wizard I've seen while chasing you to stop your foolish desire for heroics."

"I just wanted to make sure no one else got hurt or died," Harry explained as he moved past the last student.

"You, student… by order of your Ministry, get in the classroom. We're locking down the school as a safety precaution," the stout wizard ordered with narrowed eyes.

"This is where your journey ends, Potter. Follow what the Yank says," Professor Snape ordered with a sneer. He looked down his hooked nose at Harry as his eyebrows knitted together.

"Right," Harry complied but a loud crash from above them cut off anything else he might say.

"That'll be the third floor. No screams so the beast didn't find any students," the stout wizard said in a conversational tone. "Right, I'm off to group with the others."

Professor Snape shoved Harry into the classroom and slammed the door behind him. A loud squelching noise told him the professor sealed the door. When he turned around, he noticed the scared looks of the twelve students from every House. Hannah Abbot and Susan Bones held each other for comfort as they stared back at him.

"Potter, any idea what is going on? Last we heard was that Granger girl screaming about a beast getting loose in the Great Hall. Almost everyone had left at that point, but the ones who were inside got locked in by the Aurors and Professor McGonagall. The suits of armor came alive and started protecting students until the Aurors arrived to escort us," a tall, skinny Ravenclaw witch said in a breathy rush.

"Stimpson, right?" Harry asked as he inspected the door. He thought she might be in the same year as the twins.

"That's me," Patricia said with a grin. "So, tell us, what do you know?"

Harry turned to see a few curious looks from the other students, but they turned back to their hushed conversations once they saw him looking at them. "The professors and Aurors will handle what's going on, but I think this is the end for Hogwarts," he answered in a soft voice. He knew the wizarding community would never let their children come back to Hogwarts if they knew a Basilisk was still alive.

"What do you mean?" Hannah asked in a sharp voice.

"Nothing, I'm probably wrong," Harry answered as he pulled out his wand. "Revelio Incantatem," he murmured as he pointed his wand at the door. A faint blue mist connected his wand to the door before dissipating. The image of a silver door floated at the end of his wand before fading away. "I've never seen that spell before."

"What was that?" Susan questioned as she moved closer to him. Patricia and Hannah stood on either side of Susan with puzzled expressions as they looked at Harry's wand.

"A simple spell reveal. I read it in a book once," Harry answered with a shrug. "My guess is Professor Snape locked us in here with a sealing type of charm but it isn't the normal Locking Charm. It must be one of his own creation or a more advanced spell than I know."

"Something so dangerous the professors and Aurors are running scared is out there and you're trying to figure out what spell was used to…" Hannah's tirade was cut off by a loud boom.

"Right, I think we should focus on fortifying. That sounded a little too close for comfort," Harry said as he turned to the others. Several pale faces looked back at him. "Does anyone know any strong shielding charms we can put on the door?"

A sea of blank faces greeted his question. "I can do the Shield Charm," Patricia said after a moment.

"_Find…__ the speaker,_" a hissing voice echoed around the room.

Harry's blood ran cold. "Right, everyone… no time to explain, but levitate all the furniture you can over here. If anyone knows the Hardening Charm and the Stickfast Charm, now is the time to use it. Don't stare at me, _move_!"

It took a few seconds for the other students to realize he was as being serious but after watching him for a moment, they started levitating the largest objects they could to block the door. "Colloportus," Harry said three times, sealing the three hinges on the heavy door. "Right, to the barricades," he muttered and pointed his wand at the teacher's table. He levitated it so it fit inside the door and pushed a desk in front of it to keep it upright. "Duro… Duro… Collous," he cast in rapid succession.

"That was impressive," one of the boys muttered as he dropped another desk beside the growing pile.

"Thanks, now we just need to add more desks to put more weight behind it," Harry said as he levitated another over.

"Let me stack them, tops first, against the door," Patricia suggested and looked over her shoulder. "Marie, help me with the Sticking Charm. Your skill at that far surpasses anything any of us can pull off. Harry, you just keep turning things to stone. I forgot how useful that spell is."

Happy to let someone else deal with trying to glue everything together, Harry added the Hardening Charm to anything that might help with the stability of the barricade. The entire room of thirteen students worked together to build a sizable blockade in front of the door with plenty of desks left over. Harry couldn't see the door anymore as it was covered by four layers of tightly packed desks, stacked four high, in front of it.

"So, we've blocked off the door. Are you going to tell us why we did that?" a gruff boy asked from behind Harry.

"Because I have a bad feeling and I always follow that hunch," he answered, looking the muscled blonde Slytherin boy in the eyes.

"Draco did say you were a bit of a prat," the Slytherin said with a chuckle. "Wouldn't you agree, Derrick?"

"Draco can be the prat," the other Slytherin boy with dark hair answered with a lazy flick of his hand. "Potter, you did someone I know a favor, so I'll back you up this once."

"Uh, thanks?" Harry said with a shrug. He didn't recognize either of the Slytherin boys. Derrick nodded to Harry like a debt had been repaid. Confused, Harry thought it must have something to do with the Slytherin's House system. He knew they traded in debts and favors to gain more prestige for themselves, but he didn't know the rules.

A loud hiss woke him up from his musing. He spun to look at the door, startling Susan. "Harry, what is it?" she questioned, holding her hand over her chest. "Don't scare me like that."

"Get back from the door," he called to Patricia and Marie who were setting up another row of desks, helped by an older Hufflepuff and a first-year Ravenclaw girl. Aubrey looked terrified but resolute as she levitated another desk for Patricia to stack on the pile. All four of them turned to look at Harry.

"What?" Marie asked, her eyes searching his face.

"Get away from the door, something is out there," Harry hedged in a gruffer tone than he'd intended. His nerves were on edge as he tracked the hissing of the Basilisk toward the door.

"There isn't," Patricia started but stopped a moment later. "Something is moving out there," she whispered and moved away from the wall near the door.

"What is it?" Aubrey squeaked. She stumbled backward and caused the desk she'd been levitating to fall. The resounding crash made everyone jump and Aubrey scream.

"Wow that scared me," Marie said with a laugh and pointed her wand at the broken desk.

The wall shook as something heavy hit the solid oak door Professor Snape sealed shut. Screams and shouts echoed around the classroom as the Basilisk hit the door again. The sound of wood splintering cut through the commotion made by the students. There was silence in the classroom as everyone stared at each other.

"_Add more desks!_" Patricia screeched, casting a levitating charm on the closest desk and flinging it at the stone barricade of upended desks.

Desks were piled high as everyone tried to put more protection between them and the raging monster outside the door. Both Slytherin boys cast Hardening Charms on the desks while Patricia and Marie used Sticking Charms on the desks to bind the barricade together. Hannah struggled to help, tears streaming down her face as she stared at the shaking wall. The young Hufflepuff wasn't the only student who struggled with trying to add more to the barricade.

Harry listened to the ravings of the Basilisk as he enchanted a few old bits of parchment that had fallen out of one of the desks to make a large, thin barrier. After sticking the paper to the ceiling and floor, he turned it to stone. The sound of crumbling stone and breaking wood made his breath catch.

"It's getting through," someone screamed.

"We're out of desks," Susan announced in a high-pitched voice.

"Someone break the blackboards off the wall, we'll use that as a small barrier to get behind," the dark-haired Slytherin ordered. "Lucian, copy what Potter did… I'm loathed to say it, but that's smart."

Lucian snorted and flipped his blonde hair. He rummaged around in his robes and pulled out a roll of parchment. "Engorgement Charm, right Potter?" he asked with a sneer.

"Yes," Harry answered as he repeated the same process with the other sheet of old paper. A long rip appeared in the middle of the parchment as he stuck it to the ceiling. He repaired the rip, secured the parchment to the floor, and turned it to stone.

"Hey, listen," someone said into the silence.

Harry was so focused on his work, he missed the fact the Basilisk had stopped attacking the door. The sound of heavy, metallic footfalls on stone echoed around the classroom, muffled by the stone barricade in front of the door.

"It sounds like the suits of armor that protected us before," Hannah said with a grin.

The Basilisk gave a horrendous screech that sounded like a mixture of anger and fear. Harry couldn't hear what it said, but he knew the Basilisk retreated from the door seconds later. The classroom was quiet as they listened to the small army of suits of armor march past their door. It took a full minute before the sound died down into silence.

"Is it gone?" someone asked in a whisper.

"Probably, but we should be ready just in case," Patricia said, regaining her composure and looking toward another Ravenclaw boy. "Eddie, don't just stand there. Hop to it," she ordered.

It took less than three minutes to build the small barricade in the far corner of the classroom. After that was complete, everyone sat around talking about the monster that tried to get in the classroom. Harry remained quiet as he rested against the front of the anchored blackboard. Patricia flitted around the room, spending a few minutes talking to the small groups of students. Harry's mood worsened as he watched the other students, knowing their time at Hogwarts had come to an end. His thoughts turned to his friends. He hoped they were safe from the Basilisk's attack and prayed no one else died.

"Food for your thoughts," a light voice questioned as they sat beside him. Harry turned to see Susan looking him in the eyes, her brown eyes flicking over his face. "You look like you ate a lemon," she said with a tight-lipped smile.

"I'm just tired," Harry lied with a small smile.

"Thank you for helping… you know, earlier," Susan said with a warm smile. "Hannah says you know more than you let on, but Auntie always told me it is sometimes better to not know. I know she tried to help you out at the start of the new year," she rambled as she rubbed her knee and looked at the floor.

"I'll have to write her a thank you letter," Harry managed to get out after a moment. Any mention of his time in Azkaban set his teeth on edge and worsened his mood.

"Auntie said you were taking an advanced course only available for really smart people and future high profile Ministry officials."

"Hermione is the smart one. I don't know that I'll be working for the Ministry," Harry said with a shrug.

"Really? Why? Auntie loves her job. You'd be great at it. I heard you rallied everyone together when those evil spiders attacked," Susan said in a breathy voice.

"I was in the right place at the right time," he said, trying not to let his frustration show in his voice. Susan pestered him with questions that he answered with half-truths and questions of his own as they waited for a professor or Auror to give the all-clear.

Before long, someone produced a deck of Exploding Snap, drawing a small group of students into a large circle in the middle of the room. Harry watched as Derrick and Aubrey laugh at Marie when the cards blew up in her face. Dark spots of soot dotted the pale girl as she blinked her eyes, looking around at the others laughing at her.

The faces of Harry's friends flashed through his mind as he watched the other students play another round of exploding snap. A lingering feeling of helplessness washed over his body as he imagined his friends die from the Basilisk's gaze or venom. He promised himself he wouldn't be helpless again as he gripped his wand tighter under his cloak. Time ticked away in his head as his mounting worry gnawed at his stomach. He expected the Aurors to come to get them after an hour or two, not three hours after the attack. The other students in the room started to get tired, finding spots to lay down while continuing to complain about being stuck in a classroom, forgotten by the rest of the school.

Patricia took charge when a few students suggested they destroy the barricade in front of the door so they could go back to their dormitories. She stood in front of the wall of stone desks with a wand drawn as she threatened the others with incurable curses on anyone that attempted to destroy the barricade. When most of the students settled in for the night, the sound of a loud bang against the barricade made someone scream.

"Be at peace, we are American Aurors and the castle is safe," a muffled voice boomed from behind the stone barricade of desks.

A ragged cheer went up from a few students while others scrambled to their feet with excited looks on their faces. It took the Aurors five minutes of constant bombardments on the barricade to enter the room. They had everyone stand in the far corner so no debris would hurt the students if a spell exploded a desk. One stone shard came close to hitting Lucian, the only student who didn't hide behind the half-wall made out of the blackboards, causing him to yelp and throw up a Shield Charm while he ran to safety.

"Impressive, if a little overdone," a gruff voice called as the last of the desks crumbled to the floor.

"I don't know, something made a ruckus in the corridor," a softer voice commented as the smoke cleared, revealing a slender, brunette witch in green robes and a rotund wizard in an orange half-mask that covered his eyes. Black symbols were covering the entire mask, making the wizard look sinister despite the warm smile plastered on his face.

"Something tried to get in, thankfully Harry here," Patricia said with a wave of her hand toward Harry, "gave us the idea to block the door with desks. What happened? What attacked us? More spiders?" she asked in quick succession.

"Something for us to know and you to hopefully never find out. There are two more wizards out here that will escort you to your cafeteria," Lydia, the magizoologist witch Moody introduced Harry too, said with a small smile. Her eyes darted around the room, finally landing on Harry.

An uncomfortable feeling of being weighed and judged made Harry's skin crawl. It was the same gaze he'd come to expect from Moody or one of the veterans at Providence. The stark contrast of the young, vibrant witch's face and the heavy weight of her gaze made him feel self-conscious. Trying not to scrunch up his shoulders, he glared back at the witch in retaliation. A manicured eyebrow rose on the witch's face in response to his glare in an almost mocking challenge.

"Follow me, students. Watch your step," the half-masked wizard ordered as he turned, waving his wand over the stone debris on the floor.

Harry fell in behind Aubrey and a skinny Hufflepuff boy as they followed the Aurors out of the classroom. In the hall, Dawlish and Proudfoot stood guard at either end of the long corridor, their wands out. Harry wondered why the two British wizards hadn't greeted the students. His question was answered a moment later when Dawlish raised a wall by chanting and waving his wand, sealing off his end of the corridor. He squeezed past the milling students and took up the spot Proudfoot had recently vacated. The tall Auror repeated the same spell, making a wall build itself from conjured slabs of stone, before giving the all-clear to the foreign wizards.

"Right, do not move ahead of the group and don't try to run off on your own," Lydia ordered in a hard voice. "_Move_," she hissed as she raised her wand higher. She strode ahead of the group.

Harry watched in awe as Proudfoot and Dawlish worked hard to seal off corridors with either a wall of stone or thick, smokey green glass before the students got to the intersecting passages. The half-masked wizard remained behind the group, his back to the students as he floated backward. Dawlish and Proudfoot led the students through the castle as they moved ever closer to the Great Hall.

The Entrance Hall had every entrance blocked by thick walls and metal doors. Dawlish communicated through the door to another wizard before the iron door opened with a loud, rusty creak. Six wands pointed at the group of students and wizards as they stepped into the large room. Kingsley stood in the middle of the room, looking at a large piece of parchment stretched out on a table with another, older-looking wizard. Harry tried to look at the parchment as he was led with the other students into the Great Hall.

"Oh, Harry, you're okay," Hermione's voice called as he was led to his House's area of the hall. The long House tables were gone, replaced by rows and rows of tan cots for the students to sleep on.

Ron sat up, rubbing his eyes as Harry came closer. "What happened, mate?" the red-haired boy asked as he swung his legs off the cot.

"No talking," Percy ordered as he strode over to Harry. "You're the last Gryffindor accounted for. Take a cot and try to get some sleep. We'll be going home in the morning. No questions," the Prefect said before striding off, his back straight.

"I did like you asked and told any adult who would listen that another attack was going to happen," Hermione said in a low voice as Harry took a seat on a nearby cot. "Did… did you know what happened?"

"Yes… and I think it got someone," Harry confirmed in a low voice. "I think this is the end of Hogwarts."

"Nonsense, where would all the students go?" Ron said in a low voice.

"Where is Neville?" Harry asked, realizing he didn't see his last friend anywhere. A kernel of fear dropped into the pit of his stomach as he turned to look at Hermione's face.

"Oh, he's with Madam Pomfrey. He tripped on the stairs when they were bringing him and a few other students back. She's keeping him over there by where the High Table was. A few students got injured in all the confusion and panic."

"What part of no talking didn't you get," Percy hissed in a low voice. "That'll be five points from both of you. Stop acting a fool. We have foreign Aurors watching our every move. It is important to show them we aren't a bunch of gossiping fools."

"He's the gossiping prat," Ron muttered once Percy walked off. "He's done nothing but suck up to those wizards."

Happiness welled up in Harry's chest when he realized all his friends were safe. While the future of Hogwarts was uncertain and the Basilisk was still loose somewhere in the castle, his friends were safe and the Aurors had things under control. Weariness flooded through his limbs as he lay back on the cot. His muscles seized and ached as he tried to get comfortable.

"Potter, get up," a familiar gruff voice ordered from somewhere in the darkness.

Harry opened his eyes and tried not to yell as Moody's face hovered just above him. The electric blue eye spun in its bronze socket, the iris disappearing into the Auror's skull. It took him a few seconds to wake up enough to sit up in his cot. Ron snored in the cot across from his while Fred and George took the cots to either side of him. Harry thought it might have been two hours or so since he'd laid down. Most of the students were asleep, covered up by multiple heavy blankets provided by the house elves. He swung his legs off his cot and dug around in his robes. After finding the comfortable handle of his wand, he took a deep breath and got up to face Moody and the other Aurors. He knew the conversation would come but hoped it would be after everyone had been evacuated from the school.

Moody stood by the large doors that led to the Entrance Hall, his blue eye glowing in the darkness. "Follow me," he ordered before opening the door with a wave of his wand. A short, dark tunnel of stone protected the doors that led to a narrow cut-back tunnel. Moody turned sideways and shuffled along the corridor, grumbling about security precautions.

Harry followed behind, trying to figure out what questions the Aurors might ask him. Blinking away the bright light of the Entrance Hall, he goggled at the changes to the large room. Thick stone slabs blocked off all the entrances with the exception of the stairs down to the kitchens. Cots were set up in the hall to allow the adults to rest. He spotted Kingsley, Dawlish, and Lydia as they stood near the large table. Professor McGonagall looked stressed and angry, her tight bun in disarray as she stared at a large placard fixed to one of the new walls.

"Potter," Kingsley said as he looked up from the same table Harry saw him standing in front of before. Large red pins were poked into the parchment in the table. "Follow us," he ordered before striding to the Chamber of Reception door. The green-robed witch gave him a piercing look before following Kingsley. Dawlish looked lost for a moment before starting to head to the door. Moody stopped the tall Auror with a glare.

Harry, after being prodded in the back by Moody, followed the other adults into the opulent room. He saw five chairs were spread out in front of one chair in the middle of the room. Harry didn't have to be told where to sit. After taking the solo chair, he stared at the three seated adults in the room, wishing he had his wand drawn under his robes. A dark-haired wizard in a three-piece Muggle suit entered the room and took a seat beside the witch. The last to enter the room was Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape.

"I think, it is time to tell us all what has happened this year," Professor McGonagall said in a stern voice. "I am disappointed to learn how little I know about the events of the year. Let me be clear, Potter. Any information you have may be able to save a fellow student's life."

"What?" Harry gasped, trying to take in the new information. "The Basilisk kills by its gaze and venom. How could any more information save someone's life?" It took him a moment to connect all the dots as he spoke. "Lockhart… it must be Lockhart. He's taken someone, hasn't he? Who is missing?" a cold feeling settled in his stomach when he realized he hadn't seen Ginny Weasley in the Great Hall.

"Someone you," Professor McGonagall said in a somber voice but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Dawlish stuck his head in the chamber. "Ma'am, her family just arrived," he announced before closing the door behind him.

"Right," Professor McGonagall said in a breathy voice. Harry thought he could hear sorrow and uncertainty in her tone. "Mad-Eye, please," she said before striding to the door.

Harry watched as Professor McGonagall straightened her spine before opening the door and striding out into the Entrance Hall. He turned to look at the remaining adults. "Zoe Stewart, a second-year Slytherin, was taken by Gilderoy Lockhart sometime during the attack," Moody said into the silence. "What we need from you is two-fold. The first is where you think Lockhart took the girl. Yes, we know into the Chamber of Secrets… the writing on the wall made that clear. What we need to know is whatever you can even guess about the Chamber's location. The second thing we need is your cooperation to get into the Chamber. It has become obvious to us that the Chamber is concealed by magical protection only a Parselmouth can open."

"Why do you think that?" Harry asked, trying to piece together the information he was being told.

"A couple of reasons," Lydia said as she leaned forward in her chair. "You are a Parselmouth. You can hear and sense where the Basilisk is if it is in range of your… power for lack of a better explanation. By order of the Supreme Mugwump, we cannot talk about what happens within the walls of Hogwarts and will have our memories removed via a sanctioned Penseive. Know this, your ability will come out and it is almost always met by fear and misunderstanding. Known for their dark power, few understand the sheer power behind a Parselmouth's healing ability. That being said, more witches and wizards go dark who speak Parseltongue.

The Chamber of Secrets… a terrible name if I've ever heard of one, was created by a Parselmouth before he retreated from the school. Nothing is known about him after his disappearance except for his lasting rhetoric of blood-purity in Europe. This is not a secret. Some say he went on to change his appearance and accomplish great things under a new name. A few historians suspect the great wizard went into the Holy Roman Empire or the Byzantine Empire to find fame and fortune. Salazar Slytherin was a proud and vain man.

All of that is speculation, but what isn't speculation is there is a Basilisk in the school and it seems to have been left by Salazar. After discussing the information you've brought forward, as a first-hand witness to the events so far, we have come to the conclusion you are, or will be a key, to opening the Chamber of Secrets. What we need, is your cooperation to get past any defenses that would otherwise hinder or prevent a small group of us from saving Miss Stewart."

Harry sat back in his chair, lost in thought. He wasn't worried about helping them find and rescue Zoe. A small voice in the back of his mind told him to let the Slytherin girl who bullied his friend die by Lockhart's hand, but he ignored it. His silence made Kingsley speak up.

"Potter, your assistance will ensure your fellow student has a chance of survival. Without you, we could be hours or days in finding the entrance," the dark-skinned Auror said in a grave voice.

"I'll even throw in an invitation to my old school, Ilvermorny," the dark-haired wizard in the three-piece suit added into the silence. "It is obvious you need a better education than Hogwarts can provide."

Professor Snape's glower turned murderous as he glanced at the foreign wizard. Moody snorted as he stared at Harry's face with both eyes. Kingsley barked a laugh and shook his head. "Thaddeus, you never cease to amaze me," the Auror said with a wry smile.

"I second the invitation," Lydia said after a moment, a small smile creasing the corner of her lip. Her pronouncement was met with silence from the British wizards.

"American education has been on the decline for the last decade," Harry said into the silence. He ignored the splutter from the two foreign wizards and continued, "I would have helped without the invitation. I don't like Zoe for personal reasons, but as many of you know… some of this is my fault too. Giving the Diary to Lockhart caused this second attack. I have an idea of where the Chamber's entrance may be."

The hall went silent as they stared at Harry. "Do tell, where do you think the entrance is?" Thaddeus questioned in a harsh tone.

"It's an educated guess that a friend of mine and I came up with. Last time the Chamber was opened, a girl died. She was discovered…" he started to say but was interrupted by Professor Snape.

"In the third-floor girl's lavatory," the hook-nosed Professor finished with a look of concentration of his face. "You believe the girl to be Moaning Myrtle's bathroom then."

Harry was shocked the professor interrupted him, not because it happened, but because of the tone, the surly professor used. It almost sounded like the professor was talking to him as an equal. Unable to speak, he nodded his head and dry swallowed to try and clear the uncomfortable feeling in the back of his throat. "She was found in a bathroom stall. An odd place to be attacked. The bathroom is next to where the writing on the wall was this time. The one that said the Chamber of Secrets was open."

"That is also where the new message was written, just underneath the first. It reads, 'Her body will remain forever in the Chamber in service to the old ways.' The Red-Barron was found at the end of that corridor, petrified with a snarl on his face. Christopher, one of our Aurors, was found petrified on the second floor, near the stairs by the Astronomy Tower," Kingsley reported in a grim voice.

"How many paintings went dark this time?" Harry asked into the silence.

"An interesting question," the witch muttered as she looked him over. "Five paintings have darkened. You understand they are fragments and imitations at life?"

"How much more fragmented than the partial lives of the Hogwarts ghosts?" Harry shot back with a glare. "Have you been able to track the path the Basilisk took through the school? Can we for sure trace it back to the third-floor bathroom?"

"He thinks like you reported, Moody," Thaddeus mused as he looked Harry over. "We've tracked the Basilisk's path and it's unusual focus on the classroom you occupied. First-hand accounts of two paintings spotted the Basilisk on the third-floor corridor. Both have requested to be moved to a nice room in the tallest tower," he said with a chuckle.

"Why did you need me to tell you where I thought the Chamber's entrance was if you already know?" Harry questioned, trying to understand the adult's thinking.

"Lydia added that bit, to see if you were worth recruiting," Moody growled, his lip curling into a small smile.

"For every society you know a witch or wizard is affiliated with, add half a dozen or more to it," Professor Snape sneered as he looked at the others. "It is a consistent failure of the wizarding community as a whole. Secret societies and small groups with various objectives appear all the time."

"Some with questionable and evil motives," Moody growled as he stared at Professor Snape.

"We're moving off the topic and we have a child to save," Thaddeus interrupted.

"By putting another in danger," Lydia mused as she stared at Harry. He was feeling uncomfortable under her intense stare.

"I already said I would help. I planned on helping from the beginning," Harry said, feeling like he needed to defend himself for some reason.

"Then let's not waste more time, Potter. You know the danger you're about to walk into. We will keep you as safe as we can. This is a Known Wizard Killer class monster, a level five threat. If you see the Basilisk, close your eyes and run. Let us deal with the monster," Moody ordered with a glare from his good eye.

"Right," Harry lied with what he hoped would be a straight face. "We have roosters?" he asked as he stood.

"Yes and no. They may or may not work in the Chamber of Secrets. I suspect Salazar has enchantments to prevent the one thing that will for sure kill his monster to enter," Thaddeus said with a grin. "I specialize in Curse Breaking while Lydia is a world-renowned Magizoologist. I believe Dawlish, Severus, Moody, Kingsley, and Thomas will be joining us."

"The Ministry has been informed, but little communication has come from the top. We are acting as a first response team to find and save Miss Stewart. That is our primary goal. If we kill the Basilisk or capture Lockhart, brilliant. If not, we will have more chances at them later, but after we save the girl. Potter, follow all instructions to the letter, this isn't a time for heroics," Kingsley ordered with a glare.

"Right," Harry answered and touched his wand under his robes. His left arm brushed against Ron's old wand in his left holster, making him remember how one of the foreign wizards used two wands in the corridor. He'd rapped Ron's old wand with black Strengthening-Tape he'd knicked off Fred and George to secure the Spell-O-Tape better. Imagining himself wielding both wands made him straighten his back a little more.

Moody and Thaddeus led the way out of the room. Mr. and Mrs. Stewart were shouting at Professor McGonagall near the huge double doors. They were tall and dark-haired, their faces tinged with red as tears fell down Mrs. Stewart's face. Aurors, professors, and a few mediwizards in white robes milled around the Entrance Hall. They all stopped and looked at the small group that headed for the wall blocking the Grand Staircase. The wizard in orange robes and the half-mask joined the group as Proudfoot and Dawlish waved their wands over the stone wall. As the two Aurors completed the first pass with their wands, the heavy stones melted and shaped themselves into a small archway.

A tiny chamber of stone was revealed as the doorway solidified. Harry could see the banister of the Grand Staircase sticking out of the wall in the center of the stone wall ahead of him. After being ushered into the room, Proudfoot stepped back and waved his wand. The wall behind Harry melted and shaped itself back into a solid wall. Dawlish didn't speak as he strode to the front of the group and performed the same incantation on the opposite wall. A tunnel appeared, angling upward, as the stone melted away to create the archway. Harry could see the stone stairs of the Grand Staircase appearing as the conjured stone melted away.

"Right, Dawlish and I first," Moody growled as he started up the stairs, his wooden leg echoing in the tunnel.

Harry followed behind Lydia while Thomas, the orange-robed wizard, and Professor Snape took up the rear. Thomas closed off the tunnel Dawlish made by making a thick iron door form itself into existence out of the rock around it. Harry noticed the stone around the door look darker, less vibrant than it had before.

The trip up the stationary staircase made Harry feel uncomfortable. Every portrait was empty, the occupants of the frames having left their homes to find safety. The Aurors sealed every doorway off the Grand Staircase with stone. An oppressive feeling of worry and doubt settled in Harry's stomach as he stared upward toward the third-floor. The lamps, now casting a low light to reflect the late hour, made the slow climb up the stairs feel foreboding.

"Right, wands out," Moody growled as he took up an offensive stance behind Dawlish. "On your mark, John."

"Removing the wall," Dawlish said in a low voice, a faint tremor lingered in his speech. Waving his wand over the stone, the wall melted away, disappearing into the original stone of Hogwarts. The dingy wooden door swung open to reveal a dimly lit corridor.

"Thaddeus, you and I take point. Dawlish, seal off every passage we reach until we get to the bathroom. After that, seal off the corridor on both sides and set Caterwauling Charms on everything," Moody ordered with a growl.

"So if we fall, the others will know the monster is loose… smart," Thomas said in a jovial voice.

Lydia gave a derisive snort as she elbowed her companion in his corpulent gut. Thomas grunted as he rubbed his stomach, but didn't say anything else. Kingsley gave Harry a wan smile. A reassuring gesture, or so Harry hoped.

"Don't stand there, _move_," Thaddeus ordered as he lifted his ornate wand higher and strode into the tunnel. The torches in the corridor burned brighter when he flicked his wand.

Harry winced as they passed a dark black portrait frame, a sign the Basilisk had destroyed another portrait and its occupant. He tried to remember which witch or wizard it was. The portraits of Hogwarts were part of the castle, as much as the suits of armor and the decorative tapestries were, and he hadn't given them much thought before. Now, every darkened frame made him less sure of the path he'd set himself upon. Dawlish blocked off every corridor Moody and Thaddeus cleared with stone. The three wizards worked in a coordinated manner. Moody conjured a mirror to peer around the corner before shooting a white spell down the corridor. After he gave the all-clear, Dawlish would seal off the corridor. When the group came to an intersection, Thaddeus would clear the right side while Moody cleared the left, both using the same spells.

The torches by Moaning Myrtle's bathroom burned brighter than the other torches, the red writing on the wall seemed to glow. Thaddeus increased the fires burning in the torches along the corridor to match the two torches by the bathroom. After Moody cleared the passage ahead, Dawlish blocked off the corridor and rushed past the group to seal them in. With a nod, Moody and Thaddeus took point as they entered the bathroom.

"All clear, for now," Thaddeus called through the door after a minute passed.

Harry stepped into the bathroom after Professor Snape and looked around. Six stalls on each side were on the left side of the room while a tall pillar of stone stood at the center of the right side of the room. Multiple sink and mirror combos were attached to the pillar. A small area behind the pillar and to the far right side of the room had cubicles for two showers. It had the same layout as a lot of the bathrooms all over the castle.

"Search from top to bottom for anything that might lead us to the Chamber," Moody ordered as he peered into a stall. A bright light shot past him as the sole occupant of the room came to investigate.

"Why are all of you here? Here to make fun of poor Moaning Myrtle?" the squat girl with pimples and thick, round glasses asked in a harsh voice. She peered around at all the adults, her eyes landing on Harry standing by the sink.

"We mean you no harm," Lydia said in a soothing tone.

"That's what they all say," Myrtle snorted as she crossed her arms.

Harry noticed the Ravenclaw crest over her transparent old-fashioned school uniform. "Myrtle, how did you die?" he blurted out before he thought about what he'd said. Thomas cuffed him across the back of the head.

"We don't…" Lydia started but stopped when she saw the expression of pure joy on the ghost's face.

"Ooo, it was dreadful," Myrtle chortled with a faraway look in her dark eyes. She whirled above everyone's heads as she came to rest on the top of a stall door, her eyes locked on Harry's bright green eyes. "Do you want to know, truly?"

"Yes," Harry answered. He felt his voice waver a little. The question had jumped into his mouth before he could stop himself from asking, making him feel awful for asking someone how they died. He didn't want to think what Frankie would say if he were to ask him the same question.

Harry missed the first part of Myrtle's narration as thoughts of Frankie clouded his mind. "… so I ran in here. To get away from that miserable witch, Olive Hornby. I was crying when I heard someone come in. They said something funny, a different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was a boy was speaking. So I unlocked the door, to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then… I died," Myrtle said in a high-pitched voice, her last words trailing off.

"Where was the boy?" Moody asked in a quiet voice. Harry looked at the grizzled wizard, surprised Moody could sound almost tender.

"Standing where that boy is now… except a little more to the left. All I could see was a pair of large, yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away..." Myrtle answered with a faint smile.

Harry turned to look to his right and frowned. His reflection stared back at him. A similar experience to looking through the Mirror of Erised came over him as he waited, hoping his reflection would do something. Nothing happened. Thomas appeared in the mirror behind Harry, his half-mask making him look more sinister than normal.

"Step aside, let Thaddeus look," Thomas suggested as he placed a hand on Harry's shoulder.

"That tap has never worked," Myrtle supplied with a giggle.

Myrtle continued to talk to Lydia as Thaddeus chanted and waved his wand around the mirror and sink. Moody, Dawlish, Kingsley, and Thomas each took one of the sinks and looked around the dark porcelain basins and the silver mirrors affixed to the circular pillar. Professor Snape strode over to the showers and peered inside, a dark light emanating from his wand.

With nothing to do but stand there, Harry looked over the last two mirrors and sinks. When nothing odd jumped out at him as being weird, he bent down and looked around the curved pipes of the sinks. He ran his hand over the cool pipe from the top where the pipe met the sink all the way around to where the pipe disappeared into the wall. Not finding anything suspicious, he tried it again on the next sink. He stood to watch the other adults muttering under their breaths as spells of different types emanated from their wands toward the sink and mirrors.

"Got something," Thaddeus announced after a minute. "Here on the back of the pipe near the drain. There is a snake." The dark-haired wizard touched the area he described with his wand. "Alohomora," he muttered, a purple light emanated from the tip of his wand. Nothing happened. "Aperio," he said again to no effect. "Resigno… Retego…" he recited as different flashes of light shot from his wand, aimed at the pipe.

Harry watched as all the spells the wizard tried either fizzled out or disappeared when coming in contact with the pipe. "Let me have a go," Professor Snape announced as he swept across the room.

"You'd know his work better than most," Moody growled but didn't stop the professor. "Thaddeus, let Severus try."

Harry watched with some fascination as the hook-nosed professor cast different colored spells without speaking. A look of concentration was etched on Professor Snape's face as he glared at the pipe.

"It is safe for Potter," the professor announced after casting a half dozen spells around the sink and mirror. "Potter," Professor Snape said as he whirled on Harry. "Speak Parseltongue to the sink. Say 'open in the name of the Heir'," he ordered as he took a step back.

Thaddeus made a low, disappointed sound as he shook his head. Lydia gave him a pointed look as she stepped away from Myrtle, her wand raised. "Give it a shot, Harry. It is why you are here."

Harry stood in front of the mirror and peered under the sink to see a small serpent engraved on the back of the metal pipe. "Open in the name of the Heir," he said aloud.

"That's in English," Kingsley said in a deep voice. "Try Parselmouth," he suggested with a wry smile.

"I don't know how to speak it," Harry admitted with a shrug.

"I and a good quarter of the school have heard you speak it," Professor Snape interjected with a sneer. "Try to imagine you are speaking to a snake. If you'd like, I can conjure another one to help speed things along."

"Thanks, but no thank you, sir," Harry shot back, trying not to shudder at the memory of the dueling club. He stared at the snake, imagining it was wiggling and hissing at him. "_Open in…_" he started to say, a strange hissing entering his ears, when a cracking sound came from the wall behind the sink. A sharp tug from somewhere around his stomach sent him flying back to sprawl on the floor as a bright orange rope disappeared from Professor Snape's wand.

Harry looked up to see the mirror and sink sliding to the floor to reveal a metal pipe the size of two adult wizards. A foul stench of dried dung wafted into the room. "Scourgify," Dawlish said as he pointed his wand at the open pipe. It took a minute, but the smell in the room lessened.

"Right, Thaddeus and I first," Moody announced as he stomped over to the pipe and used a mirror to inspect the pipe. He fired a spell up the pipe before checking with his mirror again. After a moment, he repeated the same process to ensure the way down was clear. "We'll send a warning back up the pipe if we encounter anything. Potter... you, Severus, and Thomas will be the last ones down."

"I still disagree that Potter needs to go," Professor Snape said in a cool voice. "He is a child and is prone to acting without thinking. A great failing of all Gryffindors."

Harry was about to say something when Lydia spoke up. "He has to come, Severus. There will be more challenges ahead, like this one. The little that is known makes it clear Salazar would want a worthy successor."

Professor Snape glared at everyone before nodding. He shot Harry a venomous look before turning back and watching Moody and Thaddeus jump into the pipe. They disappeared into the darkness without a sound.

Ten minutes went by with everyone keeping their wands pointed at the pipe. The sound of stone moving made Harry jump, his eyes flicking to the floor where the sink and mirror started to rise. "_Open,_" he hissed, more prepared to speak Parseltongue on command. The mirror stopped halfway up the wall before sliding downward again, disappearing into the floor once more.

"The way is safe," the booming voice of Moody came from down the pipe.

"Right, Lydia, with me please," Kingsley announced and stepped in front of the pipe.

"After you," Lydia said as she flashed a dazzling smile. The two adults jumped into the pipe one after the other. Dawlish followed the pair after a moment.

"Harry, you can share my toilet if you die too," Myrtle called just as Harry jumped into the pipe. The ghost's voice echoed in his ears as he slid down the near-endless pipe, going deeper and deeper into the ground. He guessed the pipe would drop him off somewhere near Hagrid's house or possibly farther into the grounds. He could see different pipes leading off the one he was in. After what felt like an eternity in the dark, a dim light illuminated the metal pipe below him.

"Gotcha," Moody growled as a warm feeling settled over Harry's torso when he was ejected from the pipe with some force.

The feeling of weightlessness made Harry feel light-headed as he floated through the air in slow motion. A moment later, the feeling passed and he dropped to the ground. He managed to get his feet under him before he hit the uneven flagstones of the wide passage. Lydia looked him over and pulled him aside so Professor Snape and Thomas wouldn't hit him when they were ejected from the pipe.

Harry looked around the wide corridor with rough stone walls and uneven flagstones. Many of the large stone tiles were missing sections in some areas to reveal more stone beneath. Professor Snape landed with grace as his robes billowed out behind him while Thomas shot out like a cannon, almost hitting Moody as he skidded on both feet to a halt. Thomas' wand was raised as he looked around despite his explosive landing.

"There are signs the Basilisk used this passage recently," Lydia announced as she waved her wand over the floor. A few dark scales glittered as they reflected in her wand-light.

"Everyone, remain alert. Potter, take this," Moody said as he thrust a bottle into Harry's hand. "Draught of Living Death," he explained as he turned away. "If you are bitten, drink it. It isn't a cure but it will give you a little more time to live if you act quick enough."

"Right, Thomas, get the roosters ready. Lydia, I know you wanted it alive, but there is a child involved now," Thaddeus said as he turned to the green-robed witch.

"Two children, because of us," she answered with a sigh. "Need will out," she muttered and looked at Harry. "If we cannot contain the Basilisk, run. Survive," she said with a sad smile.

"Thomas, you know what to do," Kingsley said into the uncomfortable silence as he raised his wand higher. The rotund man produced two large cages from nowhere with two brown roosters in each cage. Harry gawked at the display of magic, even though he knew it was possible to vanish and conjure a live creature.

The trip through the winding corridor came to an abrupt stop when Thomas gave a cry of alarm and fired off a spell from his wand ahead of them. Harry, at the back of the group with Professor Snape, closed his eyes like he'd been instructed to. When nothing happened and Lydia gave the all-clear, he opened his eyes to see a massive white snake lying to one side of a chamber.

"This Basilisk must be centuries old," Lydia breathed as she ran a gloved hand over the snakeskin.

"This is no time to gawk," Moody growled as he stepped past the snakeskin.

"Right… right," Lydia muttered as she slid a silver knife through the membrane, removing a small section of the snakeskin. She tucked a sample into a small brown bag with a look of excitement.

"This must be the start to the tests," Thaddeus announced as he approached the end of the corridor. A massive wall blocked them from going forward. On it, two carved snakes, intertwined in the middle, seemed to look at the group with identical menacing glares.

Harry took a step forward to speak the word he'd been rehearsing in his head the entire trip but was stopped by Professor Snape. "Wait for them to tell you it is safe," he sneered as he looked over Harry's head.

"I will begin," Thaddeus announced as he stepped in front of the door. After muttering for ten minutes and waving his wand, he took a step back and shook his head. "There is something there. I can't tell what it is. We need the Supreme Mugwump's wisdom to know for sure what spell or spells are laid on the door."

"Only one way to tell," Thomas said before shocking everyone and striding up to the door. He placed his hand on the right snake's tail and pushed. The rotund man gave a strangled yell as he jumped back. The cage in his right hand no longer contained a rooster. The smoldering ruins of the deceased bird seemed to melt through the wooden cage.

"We know one of the spells then," Professor Snape muttered under his breath as his hand clenched Harry's shoulder a little harder.

"You are a fool," Lydia announced as she walked over to Thomas, her wand waving. "No curses or lasting injuries," she declared after giving the shorter wizard a hard slap on the cheek. Thomas took the hit with a grin as he shook his head.

"Potter, you're up," Moody declared after half-an-hour passed. The adult wizards tried everything in their arsenals to figure out what spells were placed on the door. Professor Snape found a nasty curse hidden on the left snake's body where it intertwined with the right snake. Thaddeus removed the curse but suffered a few deep cuts that Lydia had to heal.

"_Open,_" Harry hissed at the two snakes. A familiar feeling of being yanked backward assailed him again as Professor Snape pulled Harry back with a Seize and Pull Charm. Getting to his feet, he watched the snakes on the wall split down the center of where they connected to reveal two doors. The massive stone doors swung inward to reveal the Chamber of Secrets.

The group stood at the end of a long and wide, dimly lit corridor. Many massive stone pillars of carved serpents rose to support the ceiling somewhere far above, covered by darkness. Long, dark shadows covered the chamber, cast from the serpent pillars. A strange green light seemed to illuminate the entire chamber.

Moody and Thaddeus moved ahead, their wands raised and ready. Thomas, Dawlish, Kingsley, and Lydia followed on their heels, each keeping their wands out and ready for any trouble. Professor Snape stayed behind with his hand firmly on Harry's shoulder. "Do… not… follow," the professor ordered in a harsh voice before striding off.

Harry watched as the adults walk away, their wand-light illuminating them in the unnatural green low-light of the chamber. He waited a few seconds before tiptoeing into the chamber and hiding behind one of the closest pillars. A prickle of fear settled into his stomach as he peered around the pillar and looked up into the giant face carved in the stone. It was ancient and monkey-ish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes. The statue's enormous gray feet stood on the Chamber floor and between the feet, laying to one side, was the figure of a familiar dark-haired Slytherin girl.

"Welcome!" a boisterous voice called from somewhere in the darkness. Gilderoy Lockhart appeared from behind a pillar, his face gaunt and his robes dirty. His normally well-maintained hair was messy and had an unknown dark substance covering one side. The look in Lockhart's eyes gave Harry an uncomfortable feeling. It reminded him of the deadened look of Crabbe and Goyle when they were under the Imperious Curse.

"Drop your wand and surrender," Moody growled. Thomas drew a second wand as he stood taller and placed his back to the closest pillar.

"I think… not," Lockhart said in a hiss that sounded unlike himself.

"_I come,_" a hissing voice called from somewhere behind Harry, down the corridor they'd just entered from.

"_It's coming!_" Harry shouted at the top of his lung and darted away from the entrance passage. Ten seconds later, Harry felt the Basilisk before it appeared. He squeezed his eyes shut.

"I… the last and greatest Heir of Slytherin will watch as you all die. Especially you, Harry Potter!" a high, cruel voice called from somewhere in the darkness.


	16. Chapter 16: Sacrifice

**AN:** _I do not own Harry Potter, that honor goes to J. K. Rowling._

**Chapter 16: Sacrifice**

"Who's there?" Kingsley called as he fired a spell toward the voice. A moment later, the entire chamber lit up with a bright white light. Harry opened his eyes a fraction to see as he looked around the pillar toward the voice.

A tall, handsome figure stood one pillar behind Lockhart, a wand clutched in his hand. His pale skin seemed to be almost translucent and his jet black hair seemed to disappear in the darkness. Dark eyes glared at Kingsley as he took a small, mocking bow. "It is I, Tom Riddle, the greatest wizard the world has ever seen," Tom announced with a flourish of his dark robes. A Slytherin crest was on the breast of his school robes.

"Voldemort," Moody cursed before firing jets of light toward Lockhart and Riddle.

The chamber erupted into chaos as part of the pillars near Tom exploded from Moody's attacks as the Basilisk made its appearance. Thomas was hit, full in the chest by the Basilisk's tail, crushing him against the pillar he had his back to.

"_Thomas!_" Lydia cried as she fired a red spell at the Basilisk. The hulking snake reared back, hurt or stunned by the spell the Magizoologist used.

Harry slammed his eyes shut again when he realized the Basilisk was three pillars away from him. He could feel the serpent, almost like a phantom limb. It was a strange feeling. He could feel the Basilisk's presence like a misty physical object that he could touch. It reminded him of running his fingers through water before he lost most of his ability to feel in his fingers.

"_Kill them all,_" Tom hissed somewhere in the darkness.

"Where am I?" Lockhart's voice called from somewhere in the chamber. It sounded like he was farther from Harry than he'd been before Moody's attacks.

Harry listened to the battle raging on the other side of his pillar, too scared to move and unable to do anything to help the adult wizards. The constant cry of exaltation the Basilisk made at each successful strike made his stomach clench in knots. While he didn't like most of the adults, he didn't want them dead.

"Reducto!" Kingsley shouted. The sound of a hissing scream filled Harry's ears. He realized the Basilisk must have been wounded by the Auror's attack.

Harry opened his eyes a sliver to peek around the pillar again. Dawlish, a wide grin on his square face, shot another spell from behind a pillar. Professor Snape disappeared and reappeared behind pillars as he sent spell after spell toward the snake as he moved closer and closer to Zoe who lay at the feet of the statue. Moody crouched over the still form of Thomas, firing spells without looking toward the snake.

"You got an…" Dawlish called out before his words cut off. Harry watched in mute horror as the Basilisk appeared around the side of the pillar and looked the Auror in the eyes. Dawlish's face had a look of confusion as he seized up and fell sideways.

"Dawlish… _Dawlish!_" Kingsley yelled as he sent another spell toward the pillar where Dawlish lay.

"Yessss," Riddle called from somewhere in the darkness, closer to Harry this time.

"Pull back," Moody ordered. "We're too exposed out here."

"Too late," a soft voice crooned. Riddle appeared from behind a pillar close to Harry's hiding spot. The tall boy watched the battle with a maniacal expression plastered on his face. Harry raised his wand to try and curse Riddle but was too slow.

"Stupefy," Thaddeus yelled as he rounded a pillar close to where Riddle stood. The red jet of light seemed to fly through Riddle's robes and hit the pillar above Harry's head. "What?" he questioned before readying his wand again. The Curse-Breaker wasn't fast enough.

"Avada Kedavera," Riddle spat as he pointed his wand at Thaddeus. Unable to get out of the way in time, the green spell hit the wizard in the chest. The bright flash of green light illuminated the chamber for a brief moment. Harry's vision seemed to tunnel in as he watched Thaddeus drop to his knees, his wand falling from his dead fingers and clattering to the stone floor. The dark-haired wizard's head drooped to one side as his body fell, following the weight of his head.

"_Thaddeus!_" Lydia screamed as she sent spell after spell toward where Riddle stood.

Chaos rained again for Harry as the floor and pillars exploded from the storm of curses and spells from the adult wizards. He covered his head as stone debris pelted him and the very floor itself rose and fell as if an earthquake erupted under his feet. Scrambling to his feet, Harry ran away from the destruction, stumbling as he sought protection from another pillar.

It took a minute for his vision to return and with it, dread. The Basilisk was near, lurking in the darkness somewhere to his left and close to the statue. He felt the great snake moving away from him so he risked a glance around his pillar. Professor Snape had his back to the pillar closest to the raised platform where the stone feet were. The Basilisk slithered in the darkness to his left. Moody, Kingsley, and Lydia were nowhere to be seen. Lockhart stumbled out into the wide path between the pillars, his face paler than before. He held a black Diary in his left hand as he staggered around.

"Professor, to your left near the wall," Harry yelled as he broke cover and ran toward the entrance corridor, trying to keep pillars between him and his enemies.

Harry heard an explosion of activity as he ducked behind a pillar close to the large doors with the snakes carved into them. The sound of spells going off again made him shudder as he imagined the scene he might see if he looked around the pillar.

"_Kill the boy first, he can sense you __as I can__,_" Riddle hissed from the darkness near Harry.

A fear unlike anything he'd ever felt gripped Harry when he realized Riddle had just ordered the Basilisk to attack him. "Sod off you bloody buggering snake," he yelled as he ran as hard as he could for the open door. To his horror, the chamber door started to close and he felt the Basilisk coming for him, faster than he'd imagined possible.

"Death comes for us all. Even to you, Harry Potter," Riddle taunted.

"Death can bloody bugger off too," Harry roared as he jumped aside at the last moment. The Basilisk slithered past him and hit the closing doors with the force of a speeding car. The chamber shook as the Basilisk veered off, hissing its displeasure at missing Harry.

"Reducto," Harry shouted as he aimed his wand at the pillar near the Basilisk. A large chunk of the stone snake exploded, showering the Basilisk with stone debris. "Fumos," he said and cast the spell at his feet. A smokescreen covered him as he ran behind the closest pillar. Two silver spells flew through the smoke and struck the Basilisk, causing the great beast to wail in pain. Harry wasn't sure what the spells were but was glad they hurt the serpent.

"Impressive, using the ground to impale my pet," Riddle praised before yelling, "Avada Kedavera."

Harry heard spells explode around the chamber as battle resumed between the adults, the Basilisk, and Riddle. He ran, this time toward the statue as he tried to track the Basilisk by feeling it. The damage done by the adults had caused the Basilisk to move slower, something Harry was thankful for. It no longer slithered across the floor at break-neck speeds.

"Potter, dodge left," Professor Snape yelled over the din.

Listening to the Potion Master, Harry dove for cover behind the next pillar. A massive ball of fire struck a pillar close to where he lay, the flames licking the ground as it passed. The fire scorched the stone black and deformed some of the carved snake's tail. Panting from the exertion, Harry jumped to his feet to continue his mad dash for the front of the chamber.

"Hah, another of you is down," Riddle jeered.

"Moody is fine, he's knocked out," Kingsley reported to the others a moment later.

"Not for much longer," Riddle taunted. Explosions erupted near where Kingsley's voice came from.

The Basilisk, a constant source of worry for Harry, slithered ever closer, by using the other side of the room. Harry hadn't heard Lydia's voice in a while, something that made him worried for her safety. A quick glance around his pillar, made him realize she lay next to Lockhart. The once handsome and flamboyant professor lay face down, his wand lay on the floor beside Lydia. Lockhart's robes were dirty, torn, and tattered.

"Potter, pay attention," Professor Snape called as a green spell flew past Harry's face.

Chastised, Harry ducked back behind his pillar and blinked. The ruined eye of the Basilisk looked at him while the other eye was hidden by the pillar. With a shout, he slammed his eyes shut and threw himself around the side of the pillar to get as far away from the Basilisk as possible. His lapse in concentration was all the Basilisk needed to get close in an alarming amount of time. He wondered if the great snake had played him for a fool, acting hurt when it wasn't.

"Potter!" Professor Snape yelled as he fired spell after spell at the Basilisk.

"I'm fine, professor," Harry called as he ducked behind another pillar.

"This is the end, for all of you," Riddle announced as he walked out into the middle of the chamber. He looked untouched by the battle or the spells that had been sent his way.

"Take Zoe and run, professor," Harry said as he shot a Grease Charm on the floor behind him. He'd noticed Zoe was cradled in the hook-nosed professor's arms. His shout didn't have the intended effect he wanted.

"Get the greasy one," Riddle shouted as he sent a flash of light in Professor Snape's direction.

Harry, scared for both Professor Snape and Zoe, rounded his pillar and shot every advanced charm he knew toward Riddle, ducking between the pillars whenever he could. Kingsley shouted spells as well, sending them toward Riddle and the Basilisk crashing against the pillars behind him. It was Harry's Grease Charm that did more harm than good. Professor Snape stepped on the dark grease sludge on the dark flagstones, sending him and Zoe sliding into a pillar.

Harry realizing what happened, knew he had seconds to act. "Kingsley, they fell," he yelled as he rooted around in his robes. He found the right vial in seconds, the rough triangle raised on his experimental potion told him he had the right one. Cocking his arm back, he threw the vial with all his might at the down and dazed professor. The Basilisk was closing fast, its mouth open wide. The vial hit the floor beside Zoe and the professor.

An unholy screeching echoed around the chamber as the pungent smell of cinnamon and clove assaulted Harry's nose. The Basilisk seemed to have a spasm attack as it thrashed around, its tail crashing into the pillars. Large chunks of stone fell from the pillars as the Basilisk tried to get away from the large cloud of cinnamon gas. Professor Snape and Zoe started to cough and sit up, covering their faces.

"Ah!" Riddle screamed from the middle of the chamber. "Expulso," he cried. A moment later a loud explosion rocked the other side of the room.

"Professor, I only have one more of those potions. Run!" Harry called when he realized the Basilisk was regaining its senses.

"Come," Professor Snape ordered as he yanked Zoe to her feet. They slid twice in the grease before they could stand.

"Enough!" Riddle screamed.

Harry worried for Kingsley, turned to see Riddle staring past him and right at Zoe. The handsome boy raised his wand and shot a dark spell toward the fleeing pair. "Protego," he yelled, hoping to block or deflect the spell. It missed his shield and hit Zoe in the back, dropping her to the floor.

Something odd happened when Zoe collapsed. Riddle, who was looking a little transparent and green, became more solid and defined. Riddle glanced toward the fallen Lockhart and back to Zoe, an expression of exaltation spreading across his face. The sound of the Basilisk's slithering approach made Harry's heart freeze. "Fumos!" he cried before jumping out of the way. A large smokescreen obscured his vision as the great snake slammed into the pillar he'd been crouched next to. The monstrous body of the Basilisk brushed against Harry's robes, giving him a very clear and heart-stopping look at the beast he was going to fight. The circumference of the Basilisk's body came up to his chest.

Purple blood trailed from two massive wounds on the side of the great snake. "Bombarda," Harry cried as he pointed his wand at the second of the two wounds. The spell missed, reflecting off the dark, dazzling snakeskin of the Basilisk. He ran back around the other side of the pillar, knowing in his heart that the serpent was about to attack him again. Before he could round the corner, the snake struck.

Pain lanced through his body as he was thrown into a pillar by the whipping tail of the Basilisk. He felt copper in his mouth as he tried to roll over, so he could see the monster that would kill him. Fumbling in his robes, he hoped the other five vials hadn't broken. His numb fingers found the triangle vial on the first attempt. Keeping his eyes shut, he threw the vial at the Basilisk, knowing where the beast was from the debris being pushed around. Seconds later, a hot blast of cinnamon hit him in the face, making him cough and wretch as he tried to getaway.

He thought he was going to die from the pain of coughing alone. The Basilisk wouldn't have to look at him or bite him. His side burned and it felt like jagged daggers were stabbing his lungs and side as he coughed. His numb fingers fumbled in the same pocket, trying to find one of his circle labeled vials.

"Sectumse…" Professor Snape said before pain blocked out the sound in Harry's ears.

A great scream from the Basilisk made Harry's heart beat faster. Something hot splattered against Harry's face causing him to open his eyes in shock and stare right into the eyes of the Basilisk. Or rather, where the Basilisk should have had eyes. The great snake's right eye had deep, long lacerations that split open the eye. Harry realized the Potion Master had managed to completely blind the king of serpents.

"Professor, duck!" Harry warned but it was too late. The Basilisk's tail whipped up and hit Professor Snape full-on in the face. With a wet crunch, the professor crashed to the flagstones.

The Basilisk's tail raised high in the air, its intention clear. "Depulso," Harry cried as he pointed his wand at the professor. The white spell hit Professor Snape in the chest, flinging him away from the falling tail of the serpent. With a crash the tail came down, breaking the flagstones beneath with its force.

The pain of casting the spell caused Harry to cough up blood. He realized the internal damage he suffered might have been greater than he realized. The desire to live burned in him as he pulled out the vial with the raised circle on the wrapping. Using his teeth, he unstopped the cork and spit it at the Basilisk. Draining the vial down his throat, he tried to limp around the pillar he'd been laying next to.

Pain deadened his senses. He couldn't tell where the Basilisk was by feeling it anymore. The only option open to him was hearing. His left ear throbbed, blocking any sound, but his right ear worked. The sound of rubble being moved was the only warning he had to jump out of the way. Again, he found himself amazed at the size of the Basilisk as the great snake missed him by a few feet. Clambering to his feet, he ran toward the center of the room. His legs burned with pain but he tried to ignore it. The Wiggenweld Potion started kicking in by the time he got past the third pillar. Riddle stood in the middle of the chamber, the Diary in his hands as he stood over Lockhart's still form.

"Harry Potter… The-Boy-Who-Lived," Riddle sneered as he looked up. "The cockroach who has hidden behind the robes of better wizards." Riddle raised his wand and fired a red spell at Harry.

Caught by surprise, Harry didn't get his wand up in time to cast a Shield Charm. The spell hit him in the chest and he knew no more. What felt like seconds later, Harry's senses returned to him as he found himself on his knees in front of Riddle. Lockhart had been flipped over, a faint rising and falling of his chest was the only indication he was alive. Harry noticed dark markings all over the professor's face similar to what he'd seen on Zoe. As for the adults, Harry couldn't see any of them. Lydia, who had been laying beside Lockhart was missing.

"Welcome back, Harry Potter. I am going to enjoy this," Riddle taunted as he looked down at Harry. "You know who I am by now, I hope."

"Voldemort," Harry spat as he stared into the dark eyes of the handsome boy.

"Brilliant, that makes things easier. You see, my name, Tom Marvolo Riddle is a filthy Muggle's name. I needed a name wizards everywhere would one day fear to speak, when I had become the greatest sorcerer in the world!" Riddle boasted as he waved the dark brown wand in his hand. Red words appeared in front of him. Tom Marvolo Riddle scrambled itself until they spelled 'I am Lord Voldemort' before turning green and exploding in a small puff of smoke.

Harry realized the wand in Riddle's hand was Zoe's wand from the brief altercation they had in the kitchens the previous year. "You aren't the greatest wizard. Albus Dumbledore is the greatest wizard and after I'm dead he will kill you," he shouted and tried to get up.

"Such loyalty," Riddle sneered as he looked down at Harry. He pointed Zoe's wand at him, "Crucio."

Pain like nothing Harry had ever felt lanced through every fiber of his being. The pain was worse than being burned from Quirrell's spell. Fire seemed to erupt from every nerve ending he had as he fought to hold on. What felt like an eternity later, the pain stopped.

"That is for speaking back to the great…" Riddle said before breaking off. The cry of a bird echoed around the hall. Harry lay on the floor, unable to raise his head to look up at the bird that seemed to appear out of nowhere in an underground chamber. "That… is Dumbledore's phoenix," Riddle muttered as he looked around. "Dumbledore," he hissed.

"Tom," a soft voice called from somewhere behind Harry. He recognized it as Professor Dumbledore's voice instantly and knew everything would be all-right. A light tug pulled Harry away from Riddle, his body floating an inch off the ground. "I think it is time you rested, Harry," the old wizard said with a smile.

"The Basilisk is still alive, professor," Harry gasped as he tried to get to his feet.

"Indeed," Dumbledore answered and waved his wand. One of the snake pillars close to Riddle moved, dropping a monstrous stone serpent to the flagstone with a crash. "I think, you will be needing this, Harry," the old wizard said as he placed an old, battered brown hat on Harry's head and passed him his holly and phoenix feather wand.

Confused, Harry looked up to see the school sorting hat resting on his head. "Professor?" he questioned but received no answer. Dumbledore strode to the center of the room, his eyes locked on Riddle.

"It has been a very long time, Tom," Dumbledore said as he waved his wand.

Harry thought he could see a hint of fear in Riddle's eyes as he looked at Dumbledore. The transfigured stone snake slithered toward the Basilisk who'd been curled up between the feet of the statue. Riddle shouted something but Harry couldn't hear what was said. Harry realized Lockhart's wand was near one of the pillars. He grabbed the wand before trying to run toward where he'd seen Professor Snape fall with Zoe before he'd been hit by the spell. When he tried to put Lockhart's wand in his left pocket, he realized Ron's broken wand was missing. The Potion Master lay face down on the flagstones, but Harry thought he could see him breathing, if barely. Pulling another circle inscribed bottle out, he drained the contents into the professor's throat and checked on Zoe. She was alive but unconscious. A dark tattoo marred her forehead. He looked her over, trying to find any sign of why the Slytherin girl's skin looked gray and drawn up as if all the water in her body were being sucked away.

It took Harry a moment to realize there were more markings on Zoe's body and her robes had been cut open. Taking a deep breath, he slid her robes aside a little more. A network of unknown symbols and patterns were carved into her skin. It made him feel a little sick as he realized the inscriptions went lower than her naval. Covering her back up, he looked at Riddle. The boy looked, if possible, more real than he had before. Harry couldn't understand why he didn't realize it before. The Riddle from the beginning was closer to that of a ghost than a person.

A great cry echoed around the chamber as the Basilisk rammed into the stone serpent. The side of the stone snake crumbled away under the blow of the attack. Harry looked away from the raw power of the Basilisk and over to Dumbledore and Riddle. They seemed to be having a conversation but Harry couldn't hear any words. He turned back to Zoe and checked her pulse, it was weak. "Professor, are you awake?" he asked as he fumbled around in his robes.

"No," Professor Snape rasped as he tried to roll over. "Potter, what… are you doing?" he asked with a cough as one good eye glared at Harry. The other side of his face looked deformed from the Basilisk's tail. Severus Snape's right eye was hidden by a bloody mass of bone and skin that was starting to mend itself.

"She's somehow linked to Riddle. He isn't quite alive, like a ghost, but Zoe is getting weaker and he is getting stronger," Harry explained as he pointed to the symbol of a triple-headed serpent inscribed on her head. "There symbols are all over her body, professor… all over, sir," he explained as he gestured to Zoe's abdomen and pelvic regions.

The professor gave a low breath as he tried to scoot closer. "Quickly, describe the runes around her chest, stomach… and pelvis," he said in a low voice. Grunting with pain, he tried to get closer to Harry and Zoe.

"Right," Harry said and turned back to Zoe. "There is a three-headed snake on her forehead," he reported and opened her robes just a little to see her chest. "She has seven large… circles with four lines each move from her chest down to her stomach. Each line has," he broke off to check more by pushing aside her robes. A horrible realization jumped out at him. "Sir, they are everywhere, not just on her stomach. They look like they extend to her…err… let me check her legs," he reported before pulling up the legs on her robes. No marking was near her ankles but when he rolled up her arms, he realized the markings went down to her forearms. "There are marking on her entire torso and most of the arms," Harry reported.

"Continue telling me what is on her chest, only," Professor Snape gasped as he inched closer.

"Seven circles with four lines equally spacing the circles. In the center of each circle is a… snake but has legs… so maybe a lizard? The first circle has seven symbols around it," Harry reported and continued his narration as the girl's skin grew grayer with every passing second. "Professor, we don't have a lot of time. She is getting grayer."

"The Draught of Living Death, give it to her," the Potion Master barked as he made the last effort to get to the pair. "She is linked to the Dark Lord through another. A Runespoor, the triple-headed snake, is the runic number for three. Move quickly if you want to save her."

Harry, pulled out the bottle Moody gave him and felt like it had been days or weeks ago. He unstopped the black bottle and held open Zoe's mouth. Careful to ensure nothing spilled, he drained the bottle while massaging Zoe's throat to ensure the liquid went down. The effect was immediate. Zoe's breath stopped but her skin turned a little lighter.

A cry of rage broke the relative silence of the chamber as Riddle nullified whatever barrier blocked him and Dumbledore from outside their conversation. "You!" he screeched and fired a red light toward Harry and the downed professor.

"I think not, Tom," Dumbledore said in a low, cool voice. The rubble around the chamber between Harry and Riddle flew into the air and slid together to make a strong wall. "Your quarrel is with me."

The wall started to encircle Harry, Zoe, and Professor Snape. Harry made a split-second decision to dash out of the back of the enclosing wall just before it connected with the pillar. Something drove him to want to help Dumbledore in some way. The Basilisk was still alive and it had caused the deaths of powerful wizards. He didn't want Dumbledore to be another, not while he could still try and help. The wall of stone grew until he couldn't see the top as it disappeared into the darkness above. Lifting the Sorting Hat off his head, he stared at it. "What are you supposed to do to help me?" he questioned it, but the hat remained silent.

Cramming the hat back on his head, he ran toward the Basilisk and stone snake still fighting. The great serpent had taken a lot of damage from the stone snake, but it was obvious who would be the winner. "Duro," Harry called as he pointed his wand at the stone snake. The spell missed, hitting the Basilisk in one of its many wounds.

A hissing cry assaulted his ears as the Basilisk writhed on the floor. The sight gave Harry an idea but he would have to get closer to the fight. He tried to keep away from the impressive duel between Riddle and Dumbledore. He only caught snippets and flashes of the battle as he ran between the pillars and toward the stone platform where the two serpents were fighting. Once he got to the last pillar, he dug around in his robes for the last cinnamon gas potion he'd made. Taking aim, he threw it as far as he could toward the two snakes.

The potion hit the statue above the fighting snakes but the effect remained the same. A cloud of cinnamon and clove rained down. The Basilisk screeched and flailed, trying to get away from the cloud. The effect was less effective than Harry had hoped and caused him more problems. The Basilisk, in its blindness, slithered away from the cloud at full speed, right toward Harry.

"How do I kill this thing," he shouted at the hat on his head. "Do _something!_" he screamed internally as he ducked behind a pillar. He watched the Basilisk crash into a pillar ahead of him, sending more debris to the floor. The great snake continued on its path, moving away from him just as something heavy slammed into the crown of his head.

Bright and dark spots clouded his vision as he swayed on the spot. "You didn't have to brain me," he complained as he yanked off the Sorting Hat, prepared to throw it to the ground. What he didn't expect was a silver, ornate sword to fall out of the hat and almost land on his foot, hilt first. The clatter of the metal seemed to echo around the chamber forever.

He picked up the sword and received another shock. In an old book, he'd read with Hermione, the picture of Godric Gryffindor's Sword was on the cover. The sword in his hand was the same as in the illustration. "You expect me to poke this thing into a Basilisk?" he asked the Sorting Hat laying on the floor. It didn't respond but Harry thought he could see a disapproving look in the folds of the wizard's hat. "Mental," he muttered but looked the sword over. "It's better than nothing," he muttered before cramming the Sorting Hat back on his head.

It took him a moment, but he thought he could sense the great snake somewhere near the entrance of the chamber. Switching the sword to his left hand, he raised his wand and shot a spell toward the dark area near the wall that hid Zoe and Professor Snape. A bright flash of light illuminated the injured Basilisk. It gave Harry some hope to see all the damage done to the great snake since the start of the fight. Deep punctures dripped purple blood and lacerations all over the Basilisk's body showed red muscles underneath the scales.

"Bombarda," he cried as he pointed his wand at where he hoped the spell would hit an injury. It didn't. The Basilisk moved and caused the spell to explode on the rock wall of the chamber. It took Harry a moment to realize the advantage the stone serpent had over him. The Basilisk couldn't see or sense the stone serpent, but it could sense and smell him.

"Bugger your bloody mother with a trowel," he cursed when he realized the Basilisk was coming for him. "Illinos," he called, hoping the Grease Charm would slow the Basilisk down. His idea partially worked, as the great serpent hit the patch of dark grease on the floor and slid forward at an alarming rate. With a resounding crash that shook the pillar Harry hid behind, the great serpent careened off the pillar. Bits of stone fell to the ground as the pillar splintered, long, jagged cracks winding upward toward the ceiling.

The stone snake hit the Basilisk before it could get to Harry. Dumbledore, controlling the stone snake, protected Harry three times in the space of five minutes. In that time, Harry managed to score two slashes on the Basilisk's snakeskin and three spells in the many wounds. It was obvious the Basilisk was slowing down but at the same time getting more dangerous. The Basilisk ignored injuries caused by the stone serpent to get at Harry, almost biting him twice. Four times Fawkes appeared out of the darkness to attack the Basilisk's face, drawing blood with its sharp talons.

Harry's luck ran out when the Basilisk smashed the rock serpent into the chamber wall. He watched as the snake carving crumbled into hundreds of chunks. "Bombarda," he cast, aiming for what remained of the head. The stone snake's head exploded in a shower of stone, hitting the Basilisk in the side of the head. Enraged, the great serpent turned to Harry and slithered as fast as it could toward him. Harry cast another Grease Charm before ducking behind a broken pillar, the middle section of the pillar lay on the floor beside him.

The whole chamber seemed to shake for Harry when the great serpent again hit a pillar, but this time it was ready. Two fangs sunk deep into the meat of Harry's right thigh, near his knee. He'd been thrown forward in the impact if the serpent hitting the pillar. With a scream of pain, he jabbed the silver sword as hard as he could, across his body, and into the ruined eye of the serpent. Blood and dark venom sprouted from the wounds as the Basilisk reared back in pain. The handle of the sword slipped from Harry's hand as the great snake shook its head wildly, crashing into the next pillar.

"Gotcha," Harry muttered as he tried to hold his hand over the wound in his leg. His leg went numb seconds later. A giddy sensation settled over him as he looked around the ruined chamber. Most of the forest of carved serpent pillars remained but few were undamaged. He watched as the Basilisk writhed and hissed on the floor a dozen feet from him, the sword of Godric Gryffindor just visible in the ruined eye socket. Even while he lost feeling in his body, his vision growing dimmer, he knew the Basilisk was dead but the body hadn't figured it out yet.

The sounds of Dumbledore and Riddle's fight faded away as first the hearing in his right ear went quiet and then his left. Something nudged him, making him swing his head around to look into the eyes of the beautiful red phoenix. "Th… anks, for the h… elp," Harry slurred as his vision grew darker. Images of Ron, Hermione, and Neville flashed in his mind as he imagined them asleep, safe and sound in the castle. He knew Fred and George would go on to do great things. A round-faced boy stood in front of him, a dark shadow framed by the dimming light in his eyes. "I… get… see… your world… now," he slurred one last time as he looked at the shadow, waiting for him.

Darkness covered his eyes and he felt his body floating in a sea of nothingness. Feeling returned to his right leg and then his left. Aches and pains from the battle dissipated into dull throbs. The sound of Riddle's voice, still casting spells, returned to him as his vision cleared. The large phoenix cried, large tears, onto Harry's leg. Harry watched through the jagged holes in his robes as his skin mended. "You," he muttered, looking into the eyes of the crying phoenix. It nodded to him before flying into the air.

Harry tried to stand but his hand slipped on something hard and round on the floor beside him. One of the Basilisk's fangs, covered in his blood, lay on the floor, broken off from hitting the pillar beside him. Careful not to touch the black liquid dripping from the end of the fang, he inspected it. The phoenix returned moments later and dropped a familiar black book in his lap. It took Harry a moment to realize what the phoenix wanted him to do from its head movements. Without another thought, he plunged the fang into the book in his lap. He expected resistance due to the hardcover but had to stop when he almost stabbed himself with the fang. It poked out the other side, having gone through the cover of the book completely.

A horrific wailing like nothing he'd ever heard before emanated from the Diary. Seconds later, another scream echoed from the Diary as Riddle's screams of pain echoed around the chamber. Black ink, like gushing blood, splattered all over Harry as he threw the Diary aside. It took a full minute for the screaming in the chamber to stop. Once it had, everything was silent. The sound of soft footsteps echoed from behind the pillars before Dumbledore, dressed in his purple robes and looking untouched, appeared. He gave Harry a brilliant smile.

"Well done," Dumbledore said as he inspected the dead Basilisk. "Well done indeed."

"They are dead, they are all dead," Harry muttered as he remembered the adults who escorted him to the Chamber.

"Not all, no," Dumbledore said in a quiet voice. "Tom's plan was to lure as many into his trap as possible while he remained invulnerable to mundane means. If the plan succeeded and he'd managed to silence all who came into the Chamber of Secrets, then the school would have been abandoned. He would have a perfect place to grow his power while the Ministry tried to find the Chamber, unaware of the real danger."

"Who… who lived?" Harry asked, trying to get to his feet. A faint memory passed through his mind as he remembered asking the same question to an old war veteran at Providence. "_None of them, cadet. Every single man in the squad died. They died a hero, knowing they would never come home,_" the scarred man replied from the front of the class. "_Don't be a hero, live and come home._"

"Alastor, Kingsley, Severus, Thomas, you, Miss Stewart, and I are all alive," Dumbledore said in a quiet voice. "Thaddeus Green fell to the Killing Curse. John Dawlish died to what I believe to be the Basilisk's stare and Lydia Temple's internal organs… well, she didn't make it. Remember their sacrifices, Harry. They knew what they were dealing with when they came down here and made the decision to pit their lives against a great threat for one magical child."

"Riddle didn't kill everyone while I was knocked out?" Harry asked, bewildered by Voldemort's lack of action. He thought Riddle killed everyone before waking Harry to gloat.

"Ah, you see, Riddle was not completely here in the material world. I believe his killing of Thaddeus with a Killing Curse weakened him to the point that he had to wait to finish off his foes. He admitted as much when I inquired about the Basilisk. It took him a lot of power to entire Miss Temple's spell wouldn't kill his snake," the professor answered with a sad smile.

"Is it worth it? The school will close. All the dead. Lockhart, you didn't say anything about him," Harry questioned as his train of thought derailed.

"Ah, yes, well… Professor Lockhart seems to have found a rather curious wand. It was wrapped in black tape with Spell-O-Tape under it to try and repair a broken wand. Not advisable to use such a broken wand in any situation. It would appear he attempted a Memory Charm after my duel with young Riddle. The results are… spectacular. Come," Dumbledore said as he strode away, toward the place where he and Riddle fought.

Harry followed on unsteady legs. A scene of devastation around the area Dumbledore and Riddle fought made his throat go dry. He couldn't imagine the spells used. At the far end of the center path, laying on his side, was Gilderoy Lockhart. His robes were ripped on one side to reveal his underwear. "Llamas with… crowns?" Harry questioned aloud as he kept his wand on the disheveled professor.

"Llamas? Crowns? Does that mean I'm the Llama's King?" Lockhart questioned with a boyish grin on his face. "The name is Gilderoy Lockhart, at your service," he said before sketching a half-bow while sitting down.

"Gilderoy 'Llama King' Lockhart… I like it," Harry said with a snort.

"Am I really? Gosh, you'd think I would have remembered. However, that suits me! I am a king!" Lockhart said as he jumped to his feet. He took a step and ripped more of his robes, sending him crashing to the floor.

"Stupefy," a gruff voice called from near a pillar. A jet of red light hit Lockhart in the face. Harry watched the lights go out in the professor's eyes before turning around. Mad-Eye Moody appeared with Kingsley Shacklebolt supporting him. The two wizards looked bad. Moody had lost his wooden leg. Both wizards had blood caked to the sides of their heads. Thomas, the rotund wizard, appeared, feet first, on a white stretcher as Dumbledore levitated him toward the group.

"He made it then," Moody growled and squinted. "Got the Draught in him before he was lost, good wizard."

"I saw Thaddeus fall, but what of Lydia," Kingsley asked as he looked around.

"I'm sorry to say, she was another casualty," Dumbledore announced.

"Damn fine witch," Moody growled before taking a swig from a canteen that had a huge dent in one side. "John too," he added as he took another sip.

"What of Miss Stewart and Severus?" Kingsley asked as he helped Moody onto the main path.

"Alive, both of them," Dumbledore reported. "Miss Stewart will need special attention once we are back up in the school. Harry, if you will lay down on this stretcher," the old wizard said as another white stretcher appeared, "it will make returning to the school easier."

"All right, professor," he said before glancing around the Chamber of Secrets, hoping one of the fallen would appear as if nothing was wrong. The moment his head touched the soft pillow, he knew no more.

Cries of alarm woke Harry as he tried to open his eyes. The bright lights of the Entrance Hall made him wince as he sat up, expecting Riddle or the Basilisk to have returned. "Easy, easy," Moody growled as a rough hand pushed him back down on the soft stretcher.

"What?" Harry got out before a new face appeared in his vision.

An older witch in the white of a mediwizard leaned over him. Her dark eyes scanning over his body. "Exhaustion, muscle strain, puncture marks with blood in his clothes but no visible damage to the skin, multiple internal fractures that are half-healed. Stable condition," she reported before she disappeared out of his vision.

Another, younger witch with bright blue eyes, appeared and placed a hand on his chest. "You'll be fine, Mr. Potter. We'll get you patched up in no time. For now, sleep," she said and waved her wand.

That night in the Hospital Wing, the sound of low, but angry conversation woke him. A small pop made Harry jump as Dobby's luminous eyes appeared at the foot of his bed. "Dobby," he gasped before drawing his wand, aiming it at the house-elf holding a ruined black book.

"Mister Harry Potter, sir," Dobby said in a low voice. "My Master is here to see the Headmaster," he said in a squeaky voice.

"Come to do me in on his command?" Harry spat preparing to curse the house-elf.

"Oh, no sir, I visited the great Headmaster Dumbledore before coming to see you. He bade me to pass you a message, sir."

"What?" Harry goggled, not trusting the house-elf in front of him. He wondered if the Ministry would accept a stunned house-elf as proof the Malfoys wanted him dead.

"He said to tell you that house-elves are released when they are given clothes, sir. Dobby wishes to give you what so many died over, sir. Here, before my Master realized Dobby is gone," the diminutive house-elf said before tossing Riddle's Diary at Harry and disappearing with a soft pop.

It took Harry a moment to realize what Dumbledore and Dobby wanted. He removed his right sock, still caked in blood from the wound on his leg, and used the Severing Charm to cut off the right leg of his robes. Getting out of bed, he put on his trainers and walked to the doors to the Hospital Wing to peer outside. He shoved the Diary into his sock, stretching the fabric until it almost broke, and wrapped it in the bloody rags of his robes.

Professor Dumbledore and Lucius Malfoy stood feet from each other, speaking in low, angry voices. Mr. Malfoy had a red tinge to his pale face as he sneered at Dumbledore. "You will be escorted from the school and barred forever," he breathed out as he glared at Dumbledore.

"I think, you will find the other governors less than willing to assist you this time, Lucius. You came woefully unprepared. The monster in the school has been slain and the kidnapped student returned, safely. The governors seemed to fear for the lives of their families. It is amazing what being the Supreme Mugwump can do for providing protection for those who trust them. Ah, I see we have a visitor," Dumbledore said as he turned to look Harry in the eyes. It was a pointed look.

"Mr. Malfoy, I believe this is yours. Please don't give dangerous things to children again," Harry said as he stopped beside Dumbledore. Dobby appeared behind Malfoy's robes, his ears drooped low. Harry threw the book, covered by his bloody robes to Malfoy.

"What?" Mr. Malfoy asked as the projectile hit him in the chest. He caught it by reflex and yanked away the filthy rags. The sock ripped as he threw it aside to reveal the Diary. "What does this have to do with me?" he sneered as he dropped the book to the floor.

"Nothing, just a warning, Lucius," Dumbledore said as he put a strong hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry watched as the piece of fabric seemed to float on a sudden draft of air from an open window in the corridor. "Come Dobby, we're leaving," Mr. Malfoy ordered as he turned, billowing out his expensive black robes. When nothing happened, he turned to look at his house-elf. "I said, _come!_"

"But… Master has just given Dobby clothes, sir," Dobby said in a low voice. Harry had watched the sock float on the wind and hit the small house-elf in the face.

"_What!?_" Mr. Malfoy bellowed as he looked at the strip of black robes in the house-elf's hand and the sock hanging from his face. His eyes flicked to Harry and then Dumbledore. A mask of pure rage covered his face as he turned to Dumbledore and Harry. "_You've lost me my house-elf!_" he bellowed and drew a wand from inside his black cherry cane.

"I and Harry have done no such thing, Lucius," Dumbledore replied in a calm voice. "You just gave your servant clothes, we both saw it."

The look of hatred turn to Dobby, the point of his wand swinging toward the diminutive house-elf. Harry acted without thinking. He drew his wand in a quick motion, as he'd practiced, and cast a Shield Charm over Dobby. The muttered dark red spell from Lucius Malfoy exploded against an invisible barrier protecting Dobby.

Mr. Malfoy turned to glare at Harry, his eyes burning with hatred. "How dare you point your wand at me," he spat, turning his wand toward Harry.

"I think, you'll find he was protecting a _free_ house-elf from an injustice. The Boiling Curse is a rather rude way to see off your old servant," Dumbledore said in a conversational tone as if everyone was sitting around the table enjoying a cup of tea.

Mr. Malfoy spat on the floor, cast another venomous glance at Harry, and strode away. "He won't forgive us," Harry said after Mr. Malfoy disappeared down the corridor.

"He was never going to like you anyway, Harry. He, and many like him, were and are believers of Voldemort's policies and desires. We can only hope to limit the damage they can do to society while fostering a new, smarter and more tolerant generation."

"Dobby is _free_," the house-elf muttered to himself. He walked over to Harry, still clutching the bloody robes. "Mister Harry Potter, what will Dobby do now?"

"Anything you'd like, I suppose," Harry said before trailing off. "Dobby, you have to be bonded to live. Isn't that the curse of house-elves?" he questioned, an idea forming in his mind.

"It is, sir," Dobby answered, his ears drooping.

"I know a very good family who'd love to have you. I'm sure you know Mr. and Mrs. Weasley," Harry prompted.

"Harry Potter is noble, trying to find Dobby employment with a good family," the house-elf blubbered as he wiped his eyes.

"You don't have to do it if you want to be free. I just don't want you to die, I read the process of… unmaking a house-elf and it's horrible."

"Oh it is, sir, it is!" Dobby confirmed, his head nodding and his ears flapping. "Could… could Dobby be with Harry Potter?"

It took Harry a moment to realize what the small house-elf was asking. He had mixed feelings about Dobby and his role in the plot by Lucius Malfoy. It took him a moment to realize Dobby had been a tool, nothing more. Like a gun or artillery that took innocent lives in countless wars. "I'd be honored to have you, Dobby. I won't…" he started but was interrupted by a screech and a small, heavy bundle of rags that ran into him.

"Harry Potter is a better wizard than Dobby knew," the small house-elf cried as he sobbed into Harry's robes.

"Dobby, you'll be free to do whatever you want. I've read the rules of Hogwarts and students can't have personal house-elves while at Hogwarts. You are _free to do anything you want_," Harry emphasized his last words.

"I think, you'll find that rule has been out of date for some fifty years. A wonder no one has bothered to republish the policies," Dumbledore said with a faint smile.

The process of bonding with Dobby took seconds. Harry felt a tiny tug from somewhere near his naval as he placed his hand on Dobby's head, in a ritualistic display of power over the house-elf. It made him feel uncomfortable. "Dobby, you can do anything you'd like. Go anywhere you want. The only thing I ask is that you not get me in trouble. Now, go have some fun."

"Dobby doesn't know how to have… fun, sir," Dobby replied, his ears drooping.

"Alright, how about going to the Burrow and helping Mrs. Weasley with whatever she needs doing," Harry said, trying to hold back a grin at the image of Dobby appearing in Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom the middle of the night and scaring the two.

It took the mediwizards three days to release him. Ron, Hermione, and Neville visited him in the Hospital Wing multiple times to try and get the story out of him. The entire trip into the Chamber of Secrets was too raw for him to talk about, but he promised he would share the entire story when he was ready. Madam Pomfrey gave him a Potion for Dreamless Sleep every night so the nightmares wouldn't wake him. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were beside themselves with anger when they heard the watered-down version of events in the Chamber from Moody and Dumbledore. Harry didn't want them to know the truth and asked the reinstated Headmaster Dumbledore to sanitize the story. Mrs. Weasley pulled on his ear when she got a few moments alone with him for scaring her and Mr. Weasley half-to-death in the middle of the night.

To the wizarding world, the Daily Prophet revealed Gilderoy 'Llama King' Lockhart orchestrated the entire events of the year due to a mental break. Professor Dumbledore told Harry that Hagrid had been released from Azkaban and would spend the summer in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries at the expense of the Ministry and receive compensation for his wrongful imprisonment.

The end-of-year exams were canceled for the school, except the students who were on the Advanced Course. Harry was convinced he was the reason the exams were pushed back a week. Hermione's stress landed her in the Hospital Wing with Harry for a day while Madam Pomfrey calmed her down with a sedative. With Defense Against the Dark Arts canceled, the students had an extra free period. Harry and Hermione spent every moment they could going over their notes and flashcards.

At first, Harry didn't care about the exams, his thoughts lingering on his time in the Chamber and his action and inaction during the battle. He wrote an after-action report like he'd been taught to at Providence, to see what could have gone differently. The horrible truth was, there was little more he could have done. He tried to ignore Hermione's insistence to study for the exams until Moody stopped him in the hall and all but forced him into a classroom by wand-point.

"Potter, you're blaming yourself for an adult wizard's failure. We, the trained, experienced, and tried wizards, knew what we were going into. Thaddeus knew, Lydia knew, John knew. They all knew they could die, just as Kingsley, Thomas, and I knew we could die. While we didn't expect an attack from a young Voldemort, who everyone thought was dead, and did everything we could. I was awake for a lot of that duel between Albus and Tom Riddle. To think he was that good at seventeen," Moody growled as he stared at Harry. "I won't sugar coat it, you need to take your magical training seriously. If you want to remember the fallen, live and get better. Let their sacrifice for Miss Stewart be a lesson and inspiration for _you_ to get better."

A petulant feeling grew in Harry's chest at being told what to do. "What if I don't care. What if I don't want to care about my magical education?" he asked, his words tumbling out of his mouth.

"Then you will die a far more tragic death than those who fell in the Chamber and in the first war. Yes, there will be another war. Dumbledore filled me in on a little more than he intended to after our trip. Speaking of which, he'll be expecting you tonight in his office. The password is Dip Dab. I'll see you over the summer if you wish to go to John Dawlish's funeral. They are postponing it for a few more weeks so his entire family can make it."

Moody's chastising made Harry wake up and realize how far he had to go. That night, Harry went up to Professor Dumbledore's office and spoke the password to the gargoyle. It jumped aside, permitting him access to the spiral stairs. "Come in," the Headmaster called when Harry knocked on the door.

"Moody mentioned you wished to see me, Professor," Harry said as he entered the opulent office. Fawkes, the Headmaster's phoenix, sat on his perch to the left of the door. The Headmaster steepled his fingers as he looked over his half-moon spectacles.

"Yes, please, take a seat," Dumbledore said, looking at the chair in front of his desk. After Harry sat, he sat back and took a deep breath. "I know you have questions. You deserve to have answers for your part in the events of the year. I will answer what I can, but as I said last year, some things I cannot tell you. I will not lie to you and will tell you if I cannot answer."

Harry took a deep breath before asking the one question that bothered him throughout the entire year. "What was the Diary, sir?" he asked, staring at a familiar black book on Dumbledore's desk.

"Alas, the first question you ask, I cannot answer. Not because I wish to hide the truth from you, but because you are not ready. I could tell you what this is, but knowing will do little for your peace of mind. It is a dark object, one of the darkest known to the wizarding world."

"Can we prove it was Malfoy or his house-elf Dobby that passed Ginny the Diary?" Harry asked in a rush.

"I think you know the answer to that better than I can. I know you questioned your new house-elf about the Malfoy family to little avail. It is part of a house-elf's servitude to keep the secrets of their masters, no matter what they might get up to. What do you really want to know?" Dumbledore probed with a small smile.

Harry looked around the opulent office, at all the instruments on the side tables and portraits sleeping on the walls. The occupants of the portraits were clear and vibrant. They made him remember the darkened frames in the corridor off the third-floor. "What could I have done better in the Chamber and throughout the year. I know I messed up by showing Lockhart the Diary."

"Did you? You gave a potentially dark object to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor," Dumbledore questioned.

"You and I both know Lockhart wasn't qualified for the job, Professor," Harry said with a small laugh. "He was barely qualified to tie his own trainers."

"You do Gilderoy Lockhart an injustice. He was a powerful wizard who managed to outmaneuver and subdue stronger wizards. He was, however, a terrible wizard at most spells, save the Memory Charm. His incarceration after regaining his memory at St. Mungo's will be a just end for him. As for your question, you displayed a mastery of spells well above your year. Not to mention the creation of the cinnamon and clove gas potion. Professor Snape was particularly pleased and angry with your potion work.

You spoke to both Kingsley and Alastor about what you believed to be your fault. You forget that you are a twelve-year-old boy. As smart as you are, you don't know everything. From your account, something I have no reason to believe to be a lie, you meant to show it to Gilderoy, not give it to him. You were a victim of the tragedies this year as much as young Weasley was and yes, even Lockhart in the end."

"But I could have done more," Harry protested, sitting up in the chair.

"Could you? Please tell me where you could have done more? If another twelve-year-old boy was in the same situation you were in, what would happen? If this happened to your friend Mr. Longbottom. If he were the key to opening the Chamber. What might have happened?"

Harry gulped and dared not say what he knew to be true. "But, sir… I could have done something more, I just know it," he said to deflect the conversation away from the uncomfortable topic. He thought the world of Neville but wasn't going to voice his doubts about his friend's bravery.

"Again, I challenge you to give me a scenario where you could have done more than you did. Could you have saved Thaddeus Green from the Killing Curse?" Dumbledore challenged, his voice becoming deeper.

"No, sir. Riddle caught him off-guard when the spell went through him," Harry said as he deflated into his chair.

"Knowledge then," the Headmaster challenge in a soft voice. "What do you know now that would have helped in the Chamber or during this year."

"What the Diary was," Harry answered immediately.

"That is true, but it would have made little difference. That object… few would know what it was or how to destroy. What else?" Dumbledore prompted as he stood. He strode over to a bookcase near the fireplace.

"What those symbols meant on Zoe's body," Harry supplied after a minute. "How to defend against a Basilisk. Spells, Charms, or how to transfigure a wall like you did to protect people," he rattled off, his mind whirling.

"All true statements. I would caution you to not delve too deeply into the _what_ of Miss Stewart's array inscribed upon her body. It is dark magic, the kind that will ensure a long sentence in Azkaban. You touch upon what I was hinting at, knowledge. Without a strong foundation in magical and historical knowledge, you can't prevent tragedies like what happened this year. Come, I have something to show you."

Harry rose from the chair to look at a silver bowl resting on top of a black pedestal. Part of the bookshelf was open to reveal the hidden wooden shelf the bowl was on. "This is a Pensieve," Dumbledore explained as he waved his hand over the swirling silver mist coming off the top of the bowl. "I use it to siphon excess thoughts from one's mind to examine them at one's leisure. It becomes easier to spot patterns and links when they are in this form. For you, I recommend it's properties to examine your experiences in the Chamber. Not only will it clear your mind of the memory, but it will allow you to view it from a different perspective."

"You mean my memories of what happened in the Chamber will be gone?" Harry asked, horrified.

"Willingly, so you may examine them from a third-party perspective. Let me demonstrate," the Headmaster said as he placed the tip of his wand to his temple. A silver strand appeared attached to the tip of Dumbledore's wand as he pulled the wand away. He tapped the edge of the Pensieve with his wand, dropping the strand of silver into the basin. An image of Dumbledore's office appeared and disappeared in the silvery mist. "Place your face over the basin. You will see a short memory of the conversation we just had."

Harry complied and placed his face over the basin. It took a moment for the silver mist to clear. He found himself standing beside a past Harry and Dumbledore as the Headmaster explained the use of a Pensieve. It was a surreal experience to examine everything as if he were a third party, rather than the person Dumbledore was talking to. A firm but gentle hand pulled on his shoulder.

"Wicked," Harry muttered as he blinked in the light from the office. It took him a moment to reorient himself. "Thank you, Professor, but I don't think I want to examine my memories of what happened in the Chamber just yet," he decided after imagining what he might see. He wasn't sure he could stomach seeing Thaddeus or Dawlish die again, even if it was from a different perspective.

"Quite understandable," the Headmaster said in a soft voice. "The offer is available to you whenever you wish. Just write me a letter next term and I'll prepare to receive you."

"Will there be another term?" Harry asked in a quiet voice.

"The Ministry's job is to cover up the entire wizarding world. They can be alarmingly good at hiding the truth when necessary and when it is convenient for them. You and I both know the castle is now safe… well as safe as Hogwarts can be. It can be a rather dangerous experience to live here in the castle. Magic is dangerous if used improperly and without Control. I cannot stress how much Control a witch or wizard has over their magic makes all the difference in the world."

"Control, as in capital C?" Harry asked, trying to understand whatever the Headmaster was hinting at. It seemed the entire reason for his visit was for Dumbledore to drop hints in ambiguous, roundabout sentences.

"Yes, Control. That is what a magical education is. Teaching young witches and wizards how to control their magic. Without it, accidental magic will cause injuries and even deaths. A wizard who has mastered Control over his magic will stand above their peers because of the knowledge and correct amount of force used in every application of magic. Now, Harry, I believe you are about to take your Advanced Course exams for the first time. As a Headmaster, I must say do your best, but as a friend, I can only give you this piece of advice. Don't amaze the instructors too much," Dumbledore said with a brighter smile than he'd displayed all night. "Or don't and go wild," he finished with a wink.

After his talks with Moody and Dumbledore, Harry found studying at Hermione's pace helped his mind focus on something other than the Chamber. She set a grueling, but fair pace. Ginny joined them for most of the time, sitting to one side as she listened to their conversation while she looked over the books. Harry was glad the youngest Weasley didn't bother Hermione, who was becoming snappish toward anyone who impeded her study time, which was every waking moment.

At breakfast the day before they were to sit their exams, the entire group of Gryffindor second-years received parchments to declare which electives they would be choosing to learn the next term. Without a second thought, both Harry and Hermione chose every subject available. Ginny watched over Ron's shoulder as he muttered to himself and circled two options before grinning up at Harry.

"Mate, what did you chose?" he asked as he tried to peer over the table.

"Everything," Harry answered with a laugh. Ginny rolled her eyes but gave him a wry smile. Hermione nodded and added she chose all the courses as well.

Neville, still deciding, looked at Ron. "What did you choose?" he questioned as he scratched his head.

"Divination and Care of Magical Creatures," Ron said with a grin. "I heard from Fred and George they were easy!"

Harry and the others exchanged glances when they heard Ron took the twin's word at face value. Ginny giggled into her hand and patted her brother on his shoulder with a look of pity in her eyes.

Harry sat his exams alone with one proctor for all of his exams. His proctor, an old, wrinkled wizard in long, sweeping maroon robes looked like he nodded off a few times while Harry worked in silence. The four-hour exam on Monday for Herbology and Potions made his head hurt, something Hermione agreed with as they sipped their bottles of Butterbeer, provided by the twins. Rumors spread through the school like wildfire about Harry's involvement in Zoe Stewart's rescue from Lockhart. Harry's close friends knew some things, but not the whole story. The twins seemed to have figured out most of the story and treated Harry like a king for a week and a half before switching things up by trying to prank him.

"Mr. Potter, you seem to have a deft hand at Charms. This is the end of the practical examination. For extra points, you may perform one spell or one demonstration of your choosing to display your skill level," the old wizard said as he looked over his parchment on the desk. The dark eyes of the wizard bore into Harry.

An image of Dumbledore sitting in his office appeared in Harry's mind. "I think, I'd like to give a demonstration, sir," Harry answered. The proctor never gave him his name and asked to be called proctor or Senior Proctor to the Ministry. Harry decided Sir sounded better.

The proctor coughed into his hand before sitting back. "Begin when you are ready, Mr. Potter," he instructed as he picked up his quill again.

Harry decided to show off the warning crackers he'd made for himself and Hermione. The proctor watched with narrowed eyes as Harry worked on the multiple spells used to create the linked fireworks. After a few minutes and three parchment pieces later, Harry created a red and green firecracker. "This will be loud, sir," he said and put the small red cylinder on a desk beside him.

"Continue," the proctor instructed as he sat up, his eyes glowing.

Harry cracked the green cylinder and flinched as the red firecracker sounded like a small bomb went off in the classroom. Red and green sparks shot into the air from where the red cylinder lay, the paper burning away to nothing.

"Brilliant," the proctor breathed out and clapped. "Well done, Mr. Potter. I would have sorely loved to have one of those during my time at Hogwarts. Oh, the trouble I could have caused." Harry tried not to gawk at the aged wizard's boyish grin stretching across his wrinkled face. "Don't look at me like that! I was young once too," the proctor chastised with a smile.

Hermione looked scandalized when Harry recounted the story in the common room to Fred and George. The twins howled with laughter at Harry's attempt to imitate the proctor's face. Hermione spent every night reviewing the questions they were asked on the exams with Harry. They quickly discovered that none of the questions were the same.

"How do you think you did?" Harry asked Hermione as he flopped into the chair by the fire. Ginny got up to give him the chair with a smile. She sat beside Hermione, looking back and forth between Harry and the bushy-haired witch.

"I had a question on Cross-Species Switches, did you have one on that? Anyway, I had to give a foot long answer on everything I knew on the subject. I don't know if I got everything down right for my example. I should have picked something easier than switching the legs on a rabbit and a turtle," she answered in a rush. "I'm just so glad everything is done."

Harry nodded and breathed out, sinking lower in his chair. He wondered how much weight he'd lost from sweating from the mental strain he'd endured during the week. "I had Vanishing Spells, turning a teapot into a tortoise, the Lapifors Spell, and the Softening Charm for my written part. The practicals were easy enough, but I think I'll get points docked for conjuring a bouquet of tiger lilies instead of the orchids my proctor asked for."

"Rotten luck, mate. Fred here can't even summon a bouquet of weeds," George said with a chuckle.

"Oi! I can too! It was you who conjured a bouquet of dandy lions in class the other day," Fred retorted with a glare. "I'll have you know, I can produce a fine bouquet of any flower. Gin, what flower would you like?"

"How about Bells of Ireland?" Ginny answered after a moment, a wry grin stretching her face.

Fred deflated a little. "What in Merlin's Beard is a Bell of Ireland?" he asked, looking around at the seated Gryffindors.

Angelina stood up and shook her head. "Boys are hopeless," she pronounced in an imperious voice before tossing her hair and marching up the girl's staircase toward her dormitory.

"What?" Fred asked as a few of the other Gryffindor girls started to laugh.

The end-of-term banquet was a somber affair. A portrait of Oliver Rivers sat at the head of the Ravenclaw table, facing the students, with a black sash draped over the side. Black banners hung from the ceiling where the winning House banners would normally be. A massive collage of moving photos depicted Oliver's life from childhood up until his death.

Professor Dumbledore stood at the podium in front of the High Table. "I would like all of us to remember a bright and vibrant young student, Oliver Rivers. While he passed at the start of the new year, he will never be forgotten within these walls. As an unfortunate victim to a beast, hidden away in the castle for centuries, he will receive full honors within these walls. A trophy to his memory will be placed in the school Trophy Room and a small memorial will be arranged in one of the old classrooms for any and all who wish to grieve. If you have a friend or loved one who has passed, I will create a spot for them in the newly named Hall of Remembrance. It will be located off the first-floor near the Transfiguration Tower.

We have suffered much this year, both individually and as a whole. While I was unfortunately away, the school showed more solidarity than any Headmaster has seen in many, many years. For that, I give each and every one of you a bow. Wands were joined together from every House to defend the school against the Acromantula. When the beast roamed the halls, every student worked together to barricade themselves into classrooms, cupboards, and secret passages. To that, I give each of you a bow.

Know this, only through cooperation, magical and social, can we as a community grow. Once you leave these walls you will see a different world. There will no longer be Houses and clear lines of who to associate yourselves with. The goal of the founders was to create unity and foster lasting friendships and bonds. I wish you to continue this and foster the friends you've made over the year. Everyone bleeds red. That is enough of an old man's wheezing waffle. As Headmaster of Hogwarts, I wish you one last thing… tuck in," Dumbledore announced before striding away from the podium.

Food appeared on the tables a moment later as quiet conversation filled the hall. Ron and Neville talked about what they wanted to do over the summer as Fred and George tried to prank Percy with one of their new firecrackers. The Ravenclaw table was the most subdued of all. Students from Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and even Slytherin showed support for some of the Ravenclaws who were crying. Harry saw Daphne sitting alone at the end of the Slytherin table, her eyes staring down at her plate.

Draco Malfoy had lost his swagger after his father was removed from the Board of Governors. The ponce glared at Harry when their eyes met for a brief moment. Harry had a strong suspicion Malfoy would try something next term.

The next morning, Harry froze when he saw black, skeletal horses standing in front of the school carriages. While he'd never ridden in one, he'd heard other students talk about the ornate coaches that took the students to and from Hogsmeade Station. He remembered hearing the carriages were pulled by themselves. After loading his trunk into the back of the carriage, he tried not to stare at the dead horses as he clambered in the carriage behind Ron.

The ride back to King's Cross was enjoyable, if long. Harry, Ron, Neville, Ginny, and Hermione sat in a compartment together, playing exploding snap and talking. Hermione told everyone her parents wanted to go on holiday to France. She played with Hedwig on the carriage seat while she wrote out her plans for what to study over the summer.

Fred and George popped their head in for a little while to pass Harry three letters, sly grins on their faces. They refused to tell anyone about the letters and threatened to curse Ron if he kept asking. Harry shook his head while pocketing the letters without opening them. Fred and George's letter was on the top. He had a feeling he knew what it was from the weight of the letter. The second and third letters shocked him. The second letter was addressed to him from Patricia Stimpson, the Ravenclaw he'd met in the classroom during the last Basilisk attack. The last letter had a coat of arms stamped in the corner depicting a large bird with long talons on either side of a heater shield on a field of green and brown. A cursive capital G was in the middle of the shield with a waving banner under it reading 'Honore Meo Sanguine'. 'To Heir Potter' in elegant handwriting was the only thing written on the front of the soft, expensive letter.

"Mister Harry Potter, how happy Dobby is to see you!" the boisterous house-elf called as Harry stepped off the train.

"Whfut?" Ron asked around the corner of a Chocolate Frog as he watched Dobby hug Harry around the middle.

"Oh, right, I knew I forgot to tell you guys something. Dobby, meet my friends. I'd love for you to consider them your friends as well," Harry said with a smile as he looked down at his house-elf. Dobby wore the torn piece of his robes like a badge of honor over his chest. It took Harry a moment to realize Dobby had his old sock over one ear.

"Dobby hasn't had friends before, sir," Dobby said in a low voice.

"Well, now you do, and they take care of each other," Harry said as he looked up to see Lucius Malfoy glaring at him from across the platform.

****AN: ****_Thank you for reading _****Book 2: Harry Potter and the Sacrifice for One. ****_It took me a lot longer to write than I was expecting. I am in the process of writing _****Book 3: Harry Potter and the Freedom to Live ****_now and will regularly update my profile on timelines and any unforeseen issues. That being said, I'm going to spend some time reading and researching Cairo and its history as it would pertain to the magical world and how I want Harry to interact with Sirius Black's character. We've seen Harry grow as a person and come into his own magically. From here on, there will be adult situations, language, and subjects some may find disturbing. This is not to say I will go overboard, but the books do get darker. Realism, as much that can be attributed to magic, is something I value in my writing and way I like to portray the world. In J.K. Rowling's books, she had a soft magic system that adds to the mystery and allure of the more powerful characters. I just happen to like harder magic systems, with defined rules, that the reader can understand and sometimes relate to. You will see more of the "science" of the Harry Potter world magic as Harry's magical knowledge grows. I expect the next book to have 21-24 chapters, each in similar or longer word lengths than this book. Harry is growing older so small details he notices and interpersonal relationships will grow as he does. Please, as always, comments and criticism on my writing are welcome. I believe, with this book finished, I've written a little over two million words now and am still constantly trying to improve. So, any feedback is appreciated. My dream, as it stands, is to one day present a novel or series as engaging and entertaining like the works of Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, Robert Asprin, and many, many more prolific authors. I appreciate all the words of encouragement and reviews. Again, thank you for reading and I hope to start posting the new book soon._


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